The signature drink of the luxurious Raffles Hotel was invented in 1915
If you are planning to travel to Singapore for work or leisure, then you must try the iconic Singapore Sling cocktail. The signature drink of the luxurious Raffles Hotel was invented in the historic Long Bar in 1915 by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon and since then it has become the national drink of Singapore.
According to News.com.au, the historic drink now sells for $SGD39 a pop – approximately $29 USD. The bar sells roughly 1000 Singapore Slings a day during peak holiday times.
The cocktail which is served up in a tall glass is made using gin, cherry liqueur, Cointreau, Benedictine, pineapple juice, lime juice, grenadine and Angostura bitters. Tourists from across the world visit the bar to try the iconic drink.
But why are tourists so obsessed with this drink? Well, the answer lies in its history. The News.com.au report said Raffles’ Long Bar was a popular gathering place for the community.
According to Raffles’ website, etiquette rules at the time mandated that it was unacceptable for women to drink alcohol in public. Instead, they would often drink tea or fruit juice.
Bartender Ngiam had a light-bulb moment. He decided to create a cocktail that look like fruit juice, but it was infused with gin, grenadine and cherry liqueur. The pink colour of the cocktail gave it a ‘feminine flair’ and people thought that it was a socially acceptable drink for women. And with that the Singapore Sling was born, a world-famous drink that continues to attract tourists to the bar more than 100 years later.
The bar has another unique tradition, guests are served peanuts and are encouraged to throw the shells all over the floor. While littering in Singapore is not allowed, the hotel’s website says that it is the only place where littering is ‘encouraged’.
According to New York Post, the hotel was even home to Queen Elizabeth II once. She stayed there for the first time in 2006.