Long Bar celebrates the inaugural Singapore Sling Day on 27th June 2021 in conjunction with International Pineapple Day, a special ode to the tropical fruit, an emblem of hospitality and a key ingredient in the world-famous cocktail.
Enjoying a Singapore Sling at the Long Bar in Raffles Hotel is on the bucket list of many travellers. Sitting at the bar, sipping a ‘Sling’ and dropping the peanut shells on the floor is something that has helped to spawn many great memories over the decades, and this will continue thanks to the introduction of Singapore Sling Day and Slingology.
In addition to the special day, a collaborative program has been created called Slingology. The idea is for guests to sip on the legendary drink and learn how it contributes to restoring the ecosystem through the use of the ECOspirits inside it. Adding to the festivity will be an exciting monthly initiative showcasing Sling-inspired tipples by a star-studded line-up of guest bartenders from Singapore’s top cocktail bars.
A toast to an illustrious history
Singapore Sling Day takes place on the 27th June 2021 at the Long Bar, the home of the original Singapore Sling, which was invented in 1915. With it being a double celebration (International Pineapple Day) and probably a first at any bar in the world, guests will be able to exchange a pineapple for a complimentary glass of Singapore Sling.
The Singapore Sling story
The Singapore Sling was first created by Ngiam Tong Boon, a Hainanese bartender at Raffles Hotel Singapore, as an ingenious way to disguise a cocktail as a fruit juice. In those days, etiquette dictated that ladies could not consume alcohol in public, and their choice of beverage was limited to tea and fruit juices.
Ever insightful, Ngiam Tong Boon saw an opportunity and decided to create a cocktail that looked like a fruit juice but was infused with gin and other liqueurs. He used pineapple and lime juices for a tropical flavour. He cleverly masked it in pink with grenadine syrup to give it a feminine flair, leading people to think it was a socially acceptable drink for women.
The rest as people frequently say is history. Today, the Singapore Sling continues to delight and inspire with its rich heritage and proud legacy.
Slingology
Adding to the festivities, Singapore Sling Day also marks the start of Slingology – a year-long collaboration with some of Singapore’s top cocktail bars. Raising a glass to the Singapore Sling, Slingology partners with guest bartenders to create and present their own Singapore Sling-inspired concoctions at Long Bar, building camaraderie within the tight-knit bartending fraternity while engaging cocktail enthusiasts and the community at large.
Exclusively on the last Sunday of each month, a guest bartender will make a special appearance at Long Bar to present his or her rendition of the Singapore Sling, alongside a few of their own other favourite cocktails. Following this one-day pop-up, the Sling-inspired creations will continue to be available for one month before the next guest bartender arrives and the offering refreshes.
Launching this exciting line-up is Jason Williams – creative director of Proof & Company and the co-creator of Widges Gin. Discover Pineapple Hospitality and Sling Old Fashioned, Jason’s unique spin on the Singapore Sling at Long Bar from 27 June to 24 July 2021.
To add to the merriment, guests can enjoy a complimentary Singapore Sling when they order the original Sling or the guest bartender’s inspired spin-off. Available until 31 August 2021, this exclusive promotion welcomes the community back to the historic Long Bar to experience its lively ambience with plantation-inspired décor while celebrating this world-renowned cocktail.
After a two-year absence due to an extensive restoration program at the Raffles Hotel, the Singapore Sling was once again back at the Long Bar. The big difference was that the drink had a new taste profile crafted for the modern palate. However, fans of the drink didn’t need to worry as it stayed true to its heritage and, of course, the original recipe.
A little known fact about this elevated Singapore Sling is the use of ecoSPIRITS, making it more sustainable and better for our environment. Working closely with Proof & Company and ecoSPIRITS, the iconic cocktail has become the forerunner for Raffles Hotel Singapore in its move to reducing single-use waste and carbon footprint.
By using the patent-pending ecoSPIRITS technology – Widges Gin, Luxardo Cherry Sangue Morlacco and Ferrand Dry Curaçao, key ingredients in the Singapore Sling, are all delivered to Long Bar in patent-pending ecoTOTE™ format, saving tens of thousands of glass bottles each year.
Furthering the sustainability profile of the cocktail, both the Luxardo Maraschino Cherries used as garnishes and the exclusive Long Bar Scrappy’s Spiced Plantation Bitters are shipped in large low-waste formats, eliminating several thousand kilograms of packaging waste per year. In addition, single-use plastic straws have also been replaced with biodegradable versions made with potato starch.
Singapore Sling Day commemorates the positive impact of our collective efforts towards sustainability. Estimated using the ecoSPIRITS Carbon Calculator, developed by leading consulting firm Deloitte, the Singapore Sling saves the equivalent of 200g of CO2 emission per serving. As the Singapore Sling continues to reduce single-use glass waste and other packaging and service wastes, it continues striving for a positive impact on sustainability.
Under the ecoSPIRITS Forest Program, the hotel will be planting one native tree for every 25 Singapore Slings orders in the Sumatran Rainforest, which will help with carbon reduction and will help with reforesting endangered wild areas.
“The inaugural Singapore Sling Day honours our cherished heritage and the undisputed legacy of the Singapore Sling, an exceptional icon fashioned at Raffles Hotel Singapore that has, much like the storied luxury property, put Singapore squarely on the global map.
Singapore Sling Day also recognises our constant efforts towards sustainability and innovation aligned with Accor Hotel’s Planet 21 initiative while continuing to deliver vibrant and inimitable experiences to engage our guests and the community,” said Christian Westbeld, Managing Director, Raffles Hotel Singapore.
“ecoSPIRITS is proudly a ‘Born in Singapore’ technology. To be able to work with one of Singapore’s great icons – Raffles Hotel Singapore – to transition the Singapore Sling into a new era of sustainability, quality and taste is a dream come true,” notes Paul Gabie, Chief Executive Officer, ecoSPIRITS.
“Raffles is the first hotel in the world to use the ecoSPIRITS technology, going back to 2018 following Long Bar’s reopening. Their leadership in committing to green innovation and a vision of a sustainable future in food and beverage can serve as an inspiration to all of us,” he added.
Images in this article are courtesy of Raffles Hotel Singapore.
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