A classic tiki cocktail is not only colorful, fruity and lavishly garnished, but often has a folklore surrounding the recipe. For any experimenters looking to create a vacation in a glass, the Singapore Sling is an easy cocktail to impress your guests at a holiday party. The original drink was developed in the early 20th century at the Long Bar in Singapore’s Raffles Hotel and has since become the island’s national drink. Singapore Sling has a pink color from the use of cherry liqueur which gives it a feminine flair and led people in the 1900s to think it was a socially acceptable drink for women. Although originally intended as a woman’s drink, it is now enjoyed by men, women, locals and tourists alike. The Sling is ingredient-heavy which leaves room for experimentation and modifications. The recipe below follows the original Raffles Hotel recipe and produces a sweet, tart and refreshing drink. A fun fact: In the Hotel’s museum today, visitors may view the Sling recipe hastily jotted on a bar-chit in 1936 by a visitor to the Hotel who asked the waiter for it.
Thanks to Audrey Wu for this week’s blog post!
- 1 1/2 ounces gin
- 1/2 ounce Cherry Heering Liqueur or any cherry brandy liqueur
- 1/4 ounce Cointreau liqueur
- 1/4 ounce Bénédictine Liqueur
- 4 ounces pineapple juice
- 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/3 ounce Grenadine syrup
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters
- pineapple slice and cherry for garnish
- Pour the gin, cherry brandy, Cointreau, Bénédictine, pineapple juice, lime juice, grenadine and bitters into a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain into an ice filled glass and garnish with fruit.