Cocktail Archive: Singapore Sling (Singapore)
The Singapore Sling is not a quiet drink. It arrives in colour, in fragrance, and in history — a cocktail that feels inseparable from tropical evenings, colonial hotels, and the slow theatre of ceiling fans turning above polished bars.
First mixed in the early 20th century at Singapore’s Raffles Hotel, the Singapore Sling was designed to be elegant and approachable, a long drink with depth rather than bite. Its pale pink hue and tall glass presentation disguised a complex structure underneath: gin softened by cherry liqueur, citrus, herbal sweetness, and a gentle bitterness that lingers rather than demands attention.
There is something unhurried about the Singapore Sling. It is not built for quick consumption or sharp contemplation. Instead, it opens gradually — bright at first sip, then rounded, then gently spiced as the ice melts and the flavours loosen. Like the city it represents, the drink sits at a crossroads of cultures, borrowing structure from Europe, sweetness from the tropics, and balance from careful restraint.
Today, the Singapore Sling remains one of the most recognisable Asian cocktails in the global canon. When made thoughtfully, it is refreshing without being simple, nostalgic without feeling dated — a drink that rewards patience rather than power.
Ingredients
Gin
Cherry liqueur
Benedictine
Fresh pineapple juice
Fresh lime juice
Grenadine
Angostura bitters
Equipment Needed
Shaker
Jigger
Strainer
Tall glass
Ice
Method
Fill a shaker generously with ice.
Add gin, cherry liqueur, Benedictine, pineapple juice, lime juice, grenadine, and bitters.
Shake firmly until well chilled and lightly aerated.
Strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice.
Garnish lightly and serve immediately.
Notes
The Singapore Sling is a balance drink — sweetness should never overpower brightness. Pineapple juice provides body and foam, but freshness matters more than quantity. Grenadine should act as colour and gentle sweetness, not syrupy weight.
Unlike spirit-forward classics such as the Old Fashioned, this cocktail lives comfortably alongside lighter, citrus-driven drinks like the Whiskey Sour, yet retains its own layered identity. When compared to bitter aperitivo styles such as the Negroni, the Singapore Sling feels softer, longer, and more generous in pace.
For drinkers exploring classic cocktails beyond Europe and the United States, the Singapore Sling often serves as a natural bridge — playful in appearance, serious in construction. Its longevity speaks less to trend and more to hospitality: a drink designed to be welcoming.
To understand how presentation and garnish shape perception in drinks like this, our guide on the art of garnishing offers useful context. And for those interested in how cocktails are visually captured and shared today, our piece on photographing cocktails for social media explores how colour and glassware influence experience.
