Singapore Sling (Old Tom Gin)
A fruity, herbal and bubbly gin cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 17.3% ABV ∙
The Singapore Sling (Old Tom Gin) is a gin sling of Old Tom gin, Bénédictine, cherry liqueur and lemon juice, shaken and topped with soda water.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake the first 6 ingredients with ice: Old Tom gin 60 mlBénédictine D.O.M. liqueur 15 mlCherry liqueur 15 mlLemon juice 30 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 2 dashes (opt.)Orange bitters 2 dashes (opt.)
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Top with Soda water and lightly stir
- Garnish with a lemon slice and a maraschino cherry
Tips
- The Angostura and orange bitters are optional; if you use them, keep to two dashes each, since both can overwhelm the lemon.
History
The Singapore Sling (Old Tom Gin) uses Old Tom gin, the sweeter, older style of gin that predates the London Dry used in most modern Singapore Slings. With cherry liqueur, Bénédictine, lemon juice, and bitters rather than the pineapple-and-grenadine formula popularized from the mid-20th century onward, it sits closer to the leaner drink cocktail historians believe came before.
The Singapore Sling itself is generally credited to Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel in Singapore, sometime between 1899 and 1915. The original recipe was lost after the hotel stopped serving the drink in the 1930s, so the hotel's modern recipe was reconstructed from a visitor's note from 1936.
FAQ
What's in the original Singapore Sling?
Nobody knows exactly: the original recipe was lost after Raffles Hotel stopped serving the drink in the 1930s. This version uses Old Tom gin, Bénédictine, cherry liqueur and lemon juice, shaken, strained over ice and topped with soda. Angostura and orange bitters are optional.
What gin is best for a Singapore Sling?
Most modern Singapore Slings use London dry gin. This version uses Old Tom gin, whose slight sweetness softens the tart lemon juice instead of fighting it.
What is a substitute for Bénédictine in a Singapore Sling?
Nothing replaces Bénédictine's honeyed, herbal taste exactly, but a small amount of Drambuie or another honey-forward herbal liqueur comes close on sweetness and spice. Expect a simpler drink than the Bénédictine version this recipe calls for.
