The cocktail notebook · Gin
Singapore Sling
Pineapple and cherry with layered herbal modifiers. A advanced comparison study made by shake and strain.
- Base
- gin
- Method
- Shake & Strain
- Glass
- Hurricane glass
- Yield
- One drink
Recipe reference: IBA reference recipe. House serves without additional ice after straining, as the source does not specify serving ice. Trial glass capacity and finish.
Singapore Sling recipe
1 serving · IBA reference recipeMillilitres control this recipe. US fluid ounces are rounded to the nearest quarter ounce for convenience and are not a different recipe ratio. Dashes, spoons, leaves and other non-liquid measures are listed as written.
| Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 30 ml≈ 1 US fl oz | gin |
| 15 ml≈ 0.5 US fl oz | Cherry Sangue Morlacco |
| 7.5 ml≈ 0.25 US fl oz | Cointreau |
| 7.5 ml≈ 0.25 US fl oz | D.O.M. Bénédictine |
| 120 ml≈ 4 US fl oz | fresh pineapple juice |
| 15 ml≈ 0.5 US fl oz | fresh lime juice |
| 10 ml≈ 0.25 US fl oz | grenadine syrup |
| 1 dash | Angostura aromatic bitters |
Ice: Preparation ice only; no serving ice. Garnish: 1 pineapple wedge and 1 maraschino cherry.
Learning bar service? Continue with the Singapore Sling in module 6 of the free course →
How to make it
- Chill the serving glass and confirm the exact products and any dietary requirements.
- Measure all recipe ingredients into a shaker with fresh ice.
- Shake to mix and chill; strain into the chilled serving glass; fine strain herbs or chilli where needed.
- Apply the specified garnish using clean tools; serve promptly.
Why it works: Prepare the small modifiers before the large juice pour. Current reference cherry liqueur is Sangue Morlacco; do not assume every red cherry product is equivalent.
Common mistakes, useful fixes
Unrecorded substitution
Offer another drink or an approved disclosed variation rather than omitting it silently.
Inconsistent finish
check the exact measures, products and preparation sequence.
Unclear guest expectation
explain this specification before preparing.
Serving the guest
What to tell the guest
Pineapple and cherry with layered herbal modifiers. Offer another drink or an approved disclosed variation rather than omitting it silently.
Dietary and product checks
Check all exact product labels and relevant guest restrictions; no generic recipe guarantees safety.
Variations
- Any variant must be named and recorded. Offer another drink or an approved disclosed variation rather than omitting it silently.
Where does the Singapore Sling come from?
Origin: Singapore; Raffles attributes the drink to Ngiam Tong Boon at Long Bar in 1915. (Attributed venue/creator account or documented cultural context; limits stated)
Raffles presents the Singapore Sling as a Long Bar creation by Ngiam Tong Boon in 1915. Its published account also acknowledges that today’s version differs from the original. Treat the date and inventor as the hotel’s attribution; its accompanying social-origin anecdote is not established here as independent historical fact. The practical lesson uses the identified modern recipe and its written quantities.
Singapore Sling questions
What is the key decision in this study?
Prepare the small modifiers before the large juice pour. Current reference cherry liqueur is Sangue Morlacco; do not assume every red cherry product is equivalent.
One modifier is unavailable during a busy service.
Offer another drink or an approved disclosed variation rather than omitting it silently.
From a recipe to a repeatable skill
Learn the method behind the order.
Singapore Sling is a required study in Advanced Cocktails & Refined Bar Service, module 6: Rum blends and complex specifications. Audit a long specification and sequence a complex ticket without missing small measures.
The course is free. An optional paid certificate tests knowledge in an online exam; it is not an observed practical assessment or an accredited bartending qualification.