Singapore sling
The Singapore sling is a classic gin-based cocktail that every cocktail connoisseur needs to taste. The story goes that it was developed by Ngiam Tong Boon at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore sometime around 1915. It is a smooth, slow, and semi-sweet cocktail with a complex flavor that has remained a favorite for over 100 years.
The problem with the Singapore sling is that few people can agree on the recipe. You’ll find many references to the “original” Raffles recipe and few of them are the same. The disparities seem to have begun as early as the drink’s first decade and they’ve only grown over the years. It is really up to each drinker to decide which version of this famous cocktail they prefer most.
This recipe is one of the newer variations. Others include anything from pineapple to grenadine or liqueurs like Cointreau. A couple of today’s top cocktail historians have also dug up older recipes with are worthy of discussion and a taste. No matter how you end up taking your Singapore sling, it is a fascinating cocktail that is well worth your time to explore.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces gin
- 1 ounce Benedictine
- 1-ounce lime juice
- 1/4 ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces club soda
- 1/2 ounce cherry brandy (or kirsch or Cherry Heering)
- Garnish: lemon slice and maraschino cherry