Back in the day, etiquette dictated that ladies could not consume alcohol in public and so teas and fruit juices were their beverage of choice. Ever thoughtful Raffles Hotel bartender, Ngiam Tong Boon, saw a niche in the market and decided to create a cocktail especially for ladies that looked like a fruit juice but was actually infused with gin and liqueurs! 

The clever bartender used the pink hues of grenadine and cherry liqueur to give his creation a feminine flair while masking the clear alcohol content and by including pineapple and lime juices and Benedictine led people to think that women were drinking a fruit juice! Needless to say, the cocktail was an instant hit and led people to think that it was a socially acceptable drink from women!

With that, the Singapore Sling was born at the Raffles Hotel in 1915. 

One hundred year on and the Singapore Sling continues to be a favourite among guests at Raffles Hotel!