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The Singapore Sling is a delicious and elaborate cocktail with great history and many variations. In our search to find out how to make the best non-alcoholic Singapore Sling mocktail, we reached out to Lorin Winata, the founder of Melati Drinks, a highly regarded non-alcoholic aperitif used in top restaurants and bars around the globe. Lorin has a passion and palate for great taste, she is even quite the chef! Check out her IG @sheeatsshecooks for fantastic recipes that are perfect for pairing with Melati’s non-alcoholic aperitif.
During our chat with Lorin she shares with us the true recipe for a non-alcoholic Singapore Sling, a cocktail from her very own country. For the base of this non-alcoholic cocktail, she uses her own Melati brand, a complex non-alcoholic drink infused with restorative herbs from the Far East and inspired by ancient recipes. She tells us about the origin of this idea and what inspired it. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Lorin and her recipe for the best non-alcoholic Singapore Sling.
- History Singapore Sling
- Non-Alcoholic Singapore Sling Ingredients
- How to make a NA Singapore Sling
- Q&A with Melati founder Lorin Winata
The Singapore Sling history
The origin of the Singapore Sling is as storied as the Melati Drinks story. I went down to the bar that started it all in the Raffles Hotel in Singapore to ask about it from the source. The story goes that a daring young woman approached the bar in the early 20th century and ordered a drink. At the time it was considered scandalous for women to drink alcohol in public, so the bartender came up with something tasty and discreet. A strong concoction of gin, pineapple juice and some secret ingredients made the Singapore Sling one of the most iconic cocktails in the world.
Transport yourself back in time to the tropical streets of 1920s Singapore with Melati Classic, made with Asian botanicals and a balanced bittersweet profile that satisfies without the booze.
Non-Alcoholic Singapore Sling Ingredients
Like any proper cocktail, mocktails or non-alcoholic cocktails should be made with top-shelf spirits and fresh ingredients. Melati will bring your Singapore Sling mocktail to another level by featuring its potent mix of botanicals that create fresh and powerful drink. Below is everything you’ll need for the non-alcoholic variation of the Singapore Sling.
- 2 oz Melati Classic
- 1 oz Pineapple puree
- 1/2 oz blood orange juice
- 2/3 oz lime juice
- 3 droppers full of All the Bitter Aromatic Bitters
- Splash of ginger beer
- Ice
- Orange slice & cherry for garnish
How to make a NA Singapore Sling?
- Add all ingredients except for ginger beer into a shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously!
- Strain into a highball glass over ice.
- Top up with ginger beer.
- Garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry.
Q&A with Melati founder Lorin Winata
Hi Lorin! Thank you for taking the time to create this Singapore Sling mocktail recipe for us. It works incredibly well it Melati as the base spirit. How did you come up with the idea for Melati?
"My previous career was filled with travel, countless happy hours and drinks at both work and play. Trying to balance my health and our modern lifestyles, I looked to my past to create a better alcohol alternative. During a trip to visit my grandmother in Bali, I realized that the tonic drinks that have been made since 1293 held the secret to a delicious and restorative cocktail hour. Today we source the same Asian botanicals used in those recipes and cold extract the ingredients for maximum flavor and function akin to how perfume is made."
The history is amazing! With Melati you promise health, good ingredients and a better lifestyle, can you tell us what is actually inside Melati?
"Our Melati Classic is a blend of 25 bittersweet plants and our second blend, Melati Fresh, is made from 20 tropical botanicals. In both blends, you’ll find immune-boosting superfoods like goji berries, raw cacao, and liver-detoxing adaptogens like ginger and gentian root. There’s no sugar added, no artificial colors, flavors or nasties!"
Like us, you are in favor of a new drinking culture, can you explain why is it important to you?
"I wanted to make a drink with the same heritage, craftsmanship and quality ingredients as a fine spirit. That’s why we’re served in Michelin-starred restaurants and pair perfectly with food. We’re here to provide a delicious and satisfying drink that’s actually good for you, to help you drink one drink less alcohol. We’re all trying to be a bit healthier and no matter what your reason is for drinking less or not at all, it’s important that everyone is included in the “cheers”."
Melati is obviously a perfect match for a Singapore Sling but what are some other ways to use it?
"Melati can be drunk chilled, mixed with your favorite mixer or in a fancy cocktail or mocktail. My favorite way is simply topped up with tonic water and ice in a fancy wine glass."
Thank you Lorin for sharing your experiences, brands like Melati inspire us and get us so excited about the non-alcoholic beverage sector! When we meet amazing entrepreneurs like Lorin, we are motivated more than ever to make quality non-alcoholic spirits & wines more accessible in North America!
Dishes made by Lorin that pair well with Melati drinks
