Photo Details

The Raffles Hotel in Singapore was founded in 1887; it was named for Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. The Singapore Sling, widely regarded as the national drink, was first created in 1915 by Raffles bartender Ngiam Tong Boon. Primarily a gin-based cocktail, the Singapore Sling also contains pineapple juice, lime juice, Curacao, and Benedictine. At a time when it was considered improper for ladies to consume alcohol in public, the ingenious bartender made the beverage pink with grenadine and cherry liqueur to give it a feminine flair and to resemble fruit juice. The disguise worked, leading people to think it was a socially acceptable drink for women. And so, the Singapore Sling was born.