Colonial-style bar with local twists
The Malayan Council
A contemporary Malay & Southeast Asian bistro in Tanjong Pagar known for bold rendangs, sambals and creative cocktails....
The History of the Singapore Sling: More Than Just a Cocktail
A concise history of the Singapore Sling — from Raffles Hotel's Long Bar to modern cocktail bars across Singapore — and where to try authentic and contemporary twists.
The Singapore Sling is less a single recipe and more a running conversation between bartenders across generations.
Go to the Long Bar for the story, then chase modern variations across Orchard and Clarke Quay for the tastes.
Why the Singapore Sling matters in Singapore
The Singapore Sling is one of the island's best-known culinary exports — a cocktail that has become shorthand for colonial-era Singapore and the city's hospitality history. For many visitors, a Sling is as essential as laksa or chilli crab when it comes to tasting Singapore's layered past.
Beyond the drink itself, the Sling tells a local story: the blending of East and West, the rise of hotel drinking culture in the Raffles/Orchard area, and the way a single recipe can evolve into countless interpretations across bars, rooftop terraces and hotel Long Bars.
- A symbol of Singapore's colonial-era social life and modern cocktail scene alike.
- Not just a recipe — it's a heritage experience often sought by travellers in Orchard and the CBD.
- Expect many different versions: museum-accurate to wildly creative.
Born at Raffles: the Long Bar story
Most histories trace the Sling back to Raffles Hotel's Long Bar, where a bartender adapted the British sling (a mixed drink) for early 20th-century patrons. The Long Bar became the natural stage for the drink thanks to its international clientele — planters, traders and travellers who called Singapore a hub between East and West.
The narrative that Ngiam Tong Boon — a Raffles bartender — created the Sling is widely told, though the recipe he used has been interpreted many ways since. Visiting the Long Bar today is as much about the atmosphere and the storytelling as it is about the cocktail itself.
- Raffles’ Long Bar is the most famous origin story associated with the Sling.
- The cocktail reflects colonial-era tastes adapted to a tropical climate.
- A visit to the Long Bar is a heritage experience — expect queues during peak tourist season.
What goes into a Sling — and how recipes changed
There is no single 'authentic' Singapore Sling recipe in modern terms. Early versions were simpler, while later commercialised recipes added fruit juices and liqueurs to create the pink, tropical drink many recognise today.
Common ingredients you'll see across historic and contemporary recipes include gin, a cherry liqueur or grenadine, citrus (lime), sometimes Cointreau or Bénédictine, pineapple juice and bitters; some bartenders top the drink with soda for a lighter finish.
If you want to taste the history, ask for a 'classic' Sling at heritage venues; if you prefer creative twists, cocktail bars in Orchard and Clarke Quay will offer iterations with house-infused gins, local fruits like calamansi or gula melaka syrups.
- Key components to look for: gin base, cherry element, citrus, and a lightening splash of soda or pineapple.
- Modern bars experiment with local flavours — don’t be surprised to see pandan, gula melaka, or sambal bitters.
- If a Sling is served too sweet, ask the bartender for less syrup and more citrus.
Where to try the Sling today — neighbourhoods and bars
If you want the origin story, Raffles Hotel's Long Bar in the Orchard / Bras Basah area is the default stop for tourists and locals chasing history. Around the CBD and Clarke Quay you'll find classic hotel bars as well as modern cocktail lounges offering their own Sling takes.
For a neighbourhood crawl, combine a visit to Raffles with a late afternoon stroll through Orchard for hotel bars, then head to Clarke Quay or Boat Quay for riverside cocktail spots. If you’re exploring local makan culture first, have the Sling afterwards as a leisurely nightcap rather than pairing it with hawker grub.
- Raffles Long Bar — heritage experience, expect premium pricing.
- Clarke Quay & Boat Quay — lively riverfront bars with modern slings.
- Orchard hotel bars — a polished, classic take; great for travel itineraries.
- Try pairing a light Sling with seafood at beachfront bars on the East Coast for a relaxed vibe.
Tips for visitors: ordering, etiquette and a mini Sling trail
Plan ahead: Raffles can be crowded, so book if you want to sit in the Long Bar. For a more local experience, scout smaller cocktail bars in Tiong Bahru or hidden lounges in the CBD that put interesting spins on the Sling.
When ordering, be specific about sweetness and garnish — local bartenders are used to requests like ‘less syrup’ or ‘no cherry’ — and treat the Sling as a sipper rather than a shot: it’s designed to be savoured with conversation.
- Book Long Bar seating for evenings or go early afternoon to avoid queues.
- Ask for a ‘classic’ or ‘heritage’ Sling if you want a museum-style profile; say ‘house Sling’ for creative versions.
- Don’t expect hawker centres to serve cocktails — stick to bars and hotels.
- Combine your Sling visit with nearby sights: National Museum, Orchard Road, or a riverside walk at Clarke Quay.
- If travelling in a group, order sharing platters and sample different bar versions to compare.
