Long Bar in Singapore, Singapore

The Long Bar at Raffles Hotel is famously the origin of the Singapore Sling. This iconic drink is a testament to Singapore's colonial history and the covert defiance of women in the early 1900s. Raffles Hotel itself evolved from a beach house in the 1830s to a hotel in 1878, eventually transformed into its grand form by the Sarkies Brothers. In the early 1900s, colonial women, despite societal taboos against public alcohol consumption, desired refreshing beverages. Ngiam Tong Boon, a bar captain, devised the Singapore Sling as a clever disguise for gin-based cocktails, made to resemble fruit juice. This innovative drink, featuring ingredients like pineapple, lime, curaçao, Bénédictine, grenadine, and cherry liqueur, quickly became popular with women and then globally. Today, the Long Bar continues this tradition, with Singapore Slings accounting for seventy percent of its revenue. The bar produces a significant number of slings daily and celebrates Singapore Sling Day annually. As a gesture, guests can exchange a pineapple for a free sling on this special day. The Long Bar also prioritizes sustainability, using eco-friendly packaging and biodegradable straws to minimize waste.