Singapore Sling Recipe
The Singapore Sling is a tall, tropical cocktail built on gin, cherry brandy, pineapple juice, and lime. It's sweet, tart, and slightly bitter, with a foamy top. You can make one in about 5 minutes; the recipe serves one.
- Basegin
- Strength15% ABV, approximate
- Methodshake
- Glasshighball
- Icecracked
- Difficultyeasy
- Total3 min
- Serves1
- Sweet
- Tart
- Fruity
- Herbal
- Jigger or measuring spoons
- Cocktail shaker
- Strainer
- Highball glass
- Bar spoon
This is the Singapore Sling, a drink that looks like a tropical vacation and tastes like one too, if the vacation involved a well-stocked bar. It's a gin-based long drink, but the gin is a supporting player, not the star. The real show is the sweet-tart punch of pineapple and lime, the deep cherry note, and a whisper of herbal complexity that keeps it from being just another juice cocktail.
This version follows the proportions used at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore, where the drink was born: a solid base of gin, a bold pour of cherry brandy, and a serious amount of pineapple juice. It's a big, generous drink meant to be sipped slowly over ice. The result is a bright, pink, frothy cocktail that's dangerously easy to drink.
You'll need a shaker for this one, not just a glass. The pineapple and lime juices need the dilution and aeration a shake provides. It's a quick build, so the only real skill involved is getting the balance right. Too much cherry brandy and it's cough syrup; too little and it's a sad gin and juice.
About the Singapore Sling
The Singapore Sling was developed at the Raffles Hotel's Long Bar in Singapore, most likely in the early 1900s. It was created by a bartender named Ngiam Tong Boon, who reportedly designed it as a more palatable, fruitier alternative to the standard gin sling that was popular with the British colonial set. The original recipe was a closely guarded secret for years, leading to many variations being served around the world.
What distinguishes the Singapore Sling from other gin-based drinks is its sheer complexity. It's not a two or three-ingredient cocktail; it layers a base spirit, two liqueurs, two juices, and bitters. The drink's modern reputation is tied to its namesake hotel, but its cultural role has shifted from a colonial-era refreshment to a globally recognized symbol of pre-war Singapore's glamour.
Why it works
- 1The gin provides a dry, botanical spine that keeps the sweet fruit juices from becoming cloying.
- 2Cherry brandy adds a deep, stone-fruit sweetness that complements the pineapple without overpowering it.
- 3Fresh lemon juice cuts through the sugar, providing the necessary tartness to balance the drink.
- 4A hard shake with ice dilutes the potent mix, bringing all the flavors into harmony and creating a frothy texture.
- 5The Angostura bitters add a subtle layer of spice that makes the drink interesting beyond just sweet and sour.
Ingredients
Serves 1.
4 cl Gin, A classic London Dry gin works best.Its juniper-forward profile stands up to the fruit.
2 cl Cherry brandy, A cherry liqueur, not a brandy with a cherry flavor.This is the sweeter, fruitier liqueur that gives the drink its red hue.
1 cl Grenadine syrupAdds sweetness and a deeper red color. Use a quality grenadine, not just red syrup.
0.5 cl Triple sec (e.g., Cointreau)Adds a subtle orange note that bridges the cherry and the gin.
3 cl Lemon juice, Freshly squeezed.Fresh is non-negotiable for the bright, tart acidity.
8 cl Pineapple juice, Unsweetened, from a carton or can.This is the main volume of the drink, so use a good quality juice.
- 0.5 cl Bénédictine
Its herbal, honeyed notes add the final layer of complexity that makes this a true classic.
1 dash Angostura bittersA single dash adds spice and binds the flavors.
ingredients
For the gin, a London Dry like Beefeater or Tanqueray is the safe choice. Its juniper backbone is essential. Cherry brandy usually means a bright red liqueur like Cherry Heering; do not substitute kirsch, which is clear and dry. For the Bénédictine, there's no perfect substitute, but a small amount of a honey or herbal liqueur like Drambuie can work in a pinch. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and a good quality unsweetened pineapple juice. The grenadine should be the real stuff, not the neon red cocktail cherry syrup.
You need: jigger or measuring spoons, cocktail shaker, strainer, highball glass, bar spoon.
Method
Chill the glass
Fill a highball glass with cracked ice and set it aside. You want the glass properly cold before you pour the finished drink into it.
Look for: The glass should be frosty and beading with condensation.
Common mistake: Skipping this step. A warm glass will melt your fresh ice too quickly and water down the drink before you've even started.
Add the gin, cherry brandy, grenadine, triple sec, lemon juice, pineapple juice, Bénédictine, and a dash of Angostura bitters to your cocktail shaker. Then fill the shaker with ice.
Look for: The shaker is about two-thirds full of ice, with the liquid ingredients added.
Common mistake: Guessing the measurements. This drink is all about balance; a heavy hand with the cherry brandy or lemon juice will throw the whole thing off. Measure accurately.
Shake the mixture vigorously for about 12-15 seconds. You're not just chilling it; you're aerating the pineapple juice to create that characteristic frothy head on the drink.
Look for: The outside of the shaker should be frosty and you should hear a change in the sound of the ice as it melts and the liquid chills.
Common mistake: A lazy shake. If you don't shake hard enough, the drink turns out too strong and warm, and it loses the frothy texture that defines a good Sling.
Discard the ice and water from the highball glass. Strain the drink into the chilled glass, using a strainer to catch any ice shards. The drink should have a foamy, pink top.
Look for: A bright pink to ruby-red liquid with a solid, airy head of foam on top. The glass should be full.
Common mistake: Straining into a glass that's already filled with fresh ice. This drink is served up, not over ice, to preserve the texture and dilution you just achieved.
Garnish with a slice of pineapple and a maraschino cherry, if you like. Serve immediately while the drink is still ice-cold and frothy.
Look for: The glass is full with a bright garnish, and the foam remains intact on the surface.
Common mistake: Adding too much garnish. A single slice and a cherry are enough. Don't turn it into a fruit salad.
Tips from the bar
- 1Use good ice. It's what makes a cocktail smooth rather than just cold.
- 2Don't skip the bitters. They're only a dash, but they make the drink whole.
- 3For a more authentic version, use a cherry brandy like Cherry Heering.
- 4If you have it, use a maraschino cherry for the garnish, not the bright red cocktail kind.
Variations
- The 'Raffles' Sling: some versions add a splash of soda water to the top for a slight fizz.
- A non-alcoholic 'Virgin Sling' can be made by combining pineapple, lemon, grenadine, and a dash of orange juice over ice.
- Some prefer a drier version, using less grenadine and cherry brandy and adding a splash of club soda.
Substitutions
- Cherry brandy: If you must, you can use a good quality cherry syrup, but the flavor will be less complex and the drink will be a bit more one-dimensional.
- Bénédictine: A small amount of honey syrup or a honey liqueur like Drambuie can approximate the sweetness and herbal notes, but the flavor won't be the same.
- Triple Sec: Another orange liqueur like Cointreau or Grand Marnier can be used; Cointreau is the closest in flavor and dryness.
Serving, storing, batching
This is a pre-dinner or afternoon drink, best enjoyed slowly on a warm day. Its bright, fruity profile pairs well with light snacks, like nuts, dried fruit, or a simple cheese board.
The Singapore Sling is best made fresh and cannot be stored. The juices will separate and lose their freshness. You can pre-batch the spirits and syrups (everything except the juices) in a bottle, but you'll still need to add the juices and shake to order.
For a party, scale the recipe up. For every 10 servings, add 40cl gin, 20cl cherry brandy, 10cl grenadine, 5cl triple sec, 5cl Bénédictine, 30cl lemon juice, and 80cl pineapple juice to a large pitcher. Do not add the ice to the pitcher. Stir, chill in the fridge, and shake each serving with ice to order for the best foam and dilution.
Questions people ask
The classic Singapore Sling is made of gin, cherry brandy, Bénédictine, grenadine, triple sec, fresh lemon juice, pineapple juice, and a dash of Angostura bitters. It's a complex, fruity drink that's shaken with ice and served cold.
A Singapore Sling is around 15% ABV in a standard bar. The amount of alcohol depends on the pour, but because a large part of the drink is pineapple and lemon juice, the alcohol is heavily diluted.
Yes. While it's not the most common cocktail today, it's a true classic with a famous story and a unique flavor. It's still a signature drink at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore and is popular at tiki and classic cocktail bars.
A Singapore Sling contains gin, cherry brandy, pineapple juice, lemon juice, grenadine, triple sec, Bénédictine, and a dash of Angostura bitters. It's a tall drink, sweet and tart, with a foamy top.
There's no perfect substitute for Bénédictine's unique herbal, honeyed flavor. A small amount of honey syrup or a different herbal liqueur like Drambuie can bring some of the same sweetness and complexity, though the final taste will be a bit different.
The Singapore Sling hasn't been removed from anywhere. It's possible you're thinking of a specific brand or ready-made mix that was discontinued. The cocktail itself remains a global classic, particularly in Singapore.
A traditional Singapore Sling is made with gin, cherry brandy, Bénédictine, grenadine, triple sec, fresh lemon juice, pineapple juice, and Angostura bitters. This combination gives it a fruit-forward flavor that's sweet and tart.
A simple version of a Singapore Sling uses just gin, cherry brandy, pineapple juice, and lime juice. It's less complex than the original but captures the essential sweet-tart and fruity character of the drink.
Last word
The Singapore Sling is worth making because it's a genuine original, a big and generous drink with a complex flavor that no other cocktail really matches. It's a fun weekend project and a great choice for a party. Shake one up and see why it's survived for over a century.
