This story was published on September 19, 2019, and updated on June 23, 2022. Additional reporting by Amanda Goh.
While our buzzy bar scene offers everything from classic to experimental cocktails, one drink we can really be proud of is the Singapore Sling, which originated at the Raffles Hotel Singapore in 1915.
Dreamt up by Hainanese bartender Ngiam Tong Boon when it was socially unacceptable for women to drink in public, its pink hue (from the cherry liqueur) passed it off as a fruit juice and made it a runaway hit. The classic version of the cocktail is a variation of the gin sling, comprising a medley of gin, cherry liqueur, Cointreau, Benedictine DOM, grenadine, Angostura bitters, lime juice, and pineapple juice.
Fast forward to the present, we’re still enjoying this local invention—albeit with a few tweaks—at some of our favourite drinking dens. Here are five versions to try:
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1. Long Bar

What’s a Singapore Sling roundup without Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel Singapore. It still uses the same recipe of gin, cherry liqueur and pineapple juice, but using more premium ingredients.
The drink is concocted with Widges Gin packed with juniper, cardamom and sweet orange notes; Luxardo Cherry Sangue Morlacco made by one of the oldest independent producers in Italy; and organic bitters crafted exclusively for the hotel. It results in a well-rounded flavour tipple that quenches and satisfies.
Long Bar, 02-01 Raffles Arcade, Raffles Hotel Singapore, 328 North Bridge Road, S(188719), +65 6412 1230
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