ROLLING GRACE

The Singapore Sling is one of the most recognised cocktails in the world, and most people have never tasted the real thing.

What gets served at airport bars and hotel brunches across Asia is a distant relative: sweeter, simpler, and missing several of the ingredients that made the original worth talking about.

This guide covers the actual history, the correct recipe, the alcohol content, a non-alcoholic version, and the specific bars in Singapore where the drink is worth ordering.

Read also: 7 Reasons to Visit the Kampong Gelam Ramadan Bazaar in Singapore

History of the Singapore Sling

Raffles Hotel, 1915

The Singapore Sling was created by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon at the Long Bar of Raffles Hotel in 1915. Singapore at the time was a colonial trading port at the height of its commercial energy, and Raffles was its social centre.

Ngiam combined local tropical flavours with Western spirits to produce something that belonged entirely to the place it was made in.

Designed for Everyone

The cocktail was originally positioned as a drink for women, at a time when women drinking publicly in Singapore was considered socially unconventional.

The fruit-forward, pink-hued appearance gave it social cover. It was adopted immediately by everyone regardless, which tells you something about how good it was.

The Lost Recipe

The original recipe was lost at some point after Ngiam’s era and was reconstructed in the 1930s from the collective memory of Long Bar staff.

What is served at Raffles today is that reconstruction, which has been the standard ever since. Whether it matches the 1915 original exactly is unknown, and the gap is part of what keeps the story interesting.

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Original Singapore Sling Recipe

Ingredients

• 30ml gin
• 15ml cherry brandy
• 7.5ml Cointreau
• 7.5ml Dom Benedictine
• 10ml grenadine
• 15ml pineapple juice
• 15ml fresh lime juice
• A dash of Angostura bitters
• Garnish: one slice of fresh pineapple and a cocktail cherry

Method

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a Singapore Sling glass or a tall highball glass over fresh ice. Add the pineapple slice and cherry to the rim. Serve immediately.

What Makes It Different From Bars

The Dom Benedictine is the ingredient most commonly dropped in cheaper versions. It is a French herbal liqueur with a complex botanical character that gives the cocktail its depth.

Without it, the drink collapses into a simple gin and fruit juice. The Cointreau similarly adds a dry citrus note that stops the grenadine and pineapple from pulling the drink into dessert territory. Both are non-negotiable in the original.

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Alcohol Percentage

A correctly made Singapore Sling sits at approximately 22% ABV. This is lower than a standard spirit serve and higher than most wine, placing it in a range that is social rather than aggressive.

The fruit juice and grenadine soften the perception of alcohol without diluting it significantly, which is part of why the drink has always been so easy to order a second one of.

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Singapore Sling Mocktail

For a non-alcoholic version, substitute the gin with a non-alcoholic gin alternative, replace the cherry brandy with cherry syrup, and omit the Cointreau and Dom Benedictine entirely.

Increase the pineapple juice slightly to compensate for the lost volume. The result loses the botanical complexity of the original but keeps the colour, the citrus and the fruit balance.

It is a reasonable version for anyone who wants the experience without the alcohol.

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Where to Drink the Best Singapore Sling in Singapore

Raffles Hotel Long Bar

The only place to drink the Singapore Sling if you are visiting Singapore for the first time and have not had the original.

The Long Bar at Raffles has been serving the cocktail since Ngiam Tong Boon created it here in 1915. The colonial interior, the ceiling fans, and the tradition of throwing peanut shells on the floor are all part of what the experience is.

Expect a queue on weekends and a price that reflects the address. It is worth it once.

Lantern Rooftop Bar, Fullerton Bay Hotel

A rooftop bar at the Fullerton Bay Hotel with a direct view across Marina Bay. The Singapore Sling here is made well and the setting earns it a different kind of appeal from the Long Bar. Better for an evening drink than a daytime visit.

Loof

Singapore’s first standalone rooftop bar and one that has maintained its identity as the city has developed around it.

The Sling at Loof leans into a more contemporary interpretation. Worth visiting if you have already done Raffles and want a comparison.

Smoke and Mirrors, National Gallery

Positioned on the rooftop of the National Gallery with views across the Padang and the colonial district. The cocktail list here is more ambitious than a standard hotel bar and the Singapore Sling gets the same treatment. One of the better elevated versions available in the city.

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Interesting Facts About the Singapore Sling

Singapore’s National Drink

The Singapore Sling is widely regarded as the national cocktail of Singapore, a status earned through its specific combination of local tropical ingredients with colonial-era Western spirits. No other cocktail is as directly tied to the country’s identity.

Glass Designed for the Drink

The curved, tall glass in which the Singapore Sling is traditionally served at Raffles was designed specifically for the cocktail. It is part of the presentation and part of the experience.

Recipe Was Reconstructed From Memory

The fact that the definitive version of one of the world’s most famous cocktails was rebuilt from bartender recollection rather than a written record makes it one of the more unusual origin stories in cocktail history.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Singapore Sling

What is in a Singapore Sling?

The original contains gin, cherry brandy, Cointreau, Dom Benedictine, grenadine, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice and Angostura bitters, garnished with pineapple and cherry.

Where was the Singapore Sling invented?

At the Long Bar of Raffles Hotel in Singapore, in 1915, by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon.

What does a Singapore Sling taste like?

Fruit-forward and citrus-bright, with an herbal depth from the Dom Benedictine and a dry finish from the Cointreau. Sweet but not cloying when made correctly.

How strong is a Singapore Sling?

Approximately 22% ABV in the original recipe.

Can you make a non-alcoholic Singapore Sling?

Yes. Replace the gin with a non-alcoholic alternative, the cherry brandy with cherry syrup, and omit the Cointreau and Dom Benedictine. Adjust pineapple juice to volume.

Is the Singapore Sling at Raffles Hotel worth it?

Yes, for the experience of drinking the cocktail at its point of origin. The price is high relative to other bars in Singapore. The context is not available anywhere else.