The signature drink of the luxurious Raffles Hotel was invented in 1915
If you are planning to travel to Singapore for work or leisure, you must try the iconic Singapore Sling cocktail. The signature drink of the luxurious Raffles Hotel was invented in 1915 in the historic Long Bar by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon and has been Singapore’s national drink ever since.
According to News.com.au, the historic drink now retails for $SGD39 a pop — about $29 USD. The bar sells about 1000 Singapore Slings a day during peak holidays.
The cocktail served in a tall glass is made with gin, cherry liqueur, Cointreau, Benedictine, pineapple juice, lime juice, grenadine and Angostura bitters. Tourists from all over the world visit the bar to try the iconic drink.
![sqnbvto](https://c.ndtvimg.com/2023-07/sqnbvto_singapore-sling_625x300_09_July_23.jpg)
But why are tourists so obsessed with this drink? Well, the answer lies in its history. According to the News.com.au report, Raffles’ Long Bar was a popular community meeting place.
According to the Raffles website, etiquette rules at the time dictated that it was unacceptable for women to drink alcohol in public. Instead, they often drank tea or fruit juice.
Bartender Ngiam had a lightbulb moment. He decided to make a cocktail that looked like fruit juice, but infused with gin, grenadine and cherry liqueur. The pink color of the cocktail gave it a “feminine flair” and it was thought to be a socially acceptable drink for women. And with that, the Singapore Sling was born, a world-famous drink that still draws tourists to the bar more than 100 years later.
The bar has another unique tradition, guests are served peanuts and encouraged to throw the shells on the floor. Although litter is not allowed in Singapore, the hotel’s website says it is the only place where litter is ‘encouraged’.
According to New York Post, the hotel was once home to Queen Elizabeth II. In 2006 she stayed there for the first time.