When I was recently in Singapore I stopped by Raffles hotel for a ludicrously overpriced but very tasty Singapore Sling (and lots of complimentary peanuts), and on my return home I’ve been doing some research into the drink so I can make my own.
Interestingly, though, I’ve looked at five different cocktail recipe books and websites (including Wikipedia, quoting the International Bartender’s Association) and found five different recipes for the drink, and the only things they have in common are Gin, Cherry Brandy, and lemon.
So, firstly, is the IBA recipe the “proper” one, and secondly, why are there so many different recipes for the drink?
I had a Singapore Sling at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore and I thought it was pretty awful. According to Wikipedia, the drink at that hotel has evolved over time.
I also heard that the Raffles Hotel also invented the “Yard”, so that’s a pretty impressive record for alcohol innovation.
I love Singapore Slings, I wish that first I could indulge freely in alcohol still, and secondly could metabolize all the sugars in it safely Back in the late 70s I used to date a bar manager who made a killer one, and on my one evening off I would go to the place he worked, and have one while waiting for him to close out the bar at the end of the night. sigh
I usually can’t stand Gin, but after both the Sling at Raffles and the ones I’ve managed to make here, I’ve found a use for it.
I’ve found using lemonade instead of soda water works really well, but I’d like to have a Colonial-themed drinks party one night next month and I want to get the “proper” recipe sorted so I can get some practice in before then.
If you’ve had it at the Raffles you discovered it’s a different creature entirely from what is commonly served in the west.
The biggest difference, for taste, is that they are using honest-to-God fresh squeezed fruit juices. It cannot be overstated the difference in taste that this makes.
I had a Singapore Sling at Raffles in Singapore, and it was AWFUL! I was there with my mother, who used to enjoy the occasional SS when dining out with friends in California, so she was looking forward to having an “original” at the bar where it was created. My sister-in-law, who was there with us, warned us against it – “they taste like cough syrup,” she whined. “Hmmph” we responded, as we greeted the freshly-made pink Singapore Sling in the Long Bar.
Gaah! She was RIGHT! It was nasty! Mom figured that her memory was VERY different from her reality, or the Slings that she drank in her youth were miles different from the ones created at Raffles.
We actually tried several Singapore Slings during our week on the island, at various locales, and they were all equally yucky, I’m sorry to say. This was about 8 years ago, so YMMV.
One thing Australia isn’t short of is fresh pineapple and oranges for the juice, but I’ve heard the Raffles drink is largely pre-mixed now. Fine with me, it was still very tasty and refreshing all the same.
Back in the late 70s I used to date a bar manager who made a killer one, and on my one evening off I would go to the place he worked, and have one while waiting for him to close out the bar at the end of the night. sigh
