Recipe
- 2oz spirit of choice (I used genever, an old-style predecessor to modern-day gin. American whiskey, brandy, or rum will work well too. The classic rum “bumbo” is essentially a rum sling )
- 1tsp of sugar
- .5oz water
- Fresh nutmeg
Dissolve the sugar in water in your glass. Add the spirit, and a couple cubes of ice. Stir together with a spoon, and grate FRESH nutmeg over top.
About
Before the Old Fashioned…there was the Sling.
I’m fascinated by boozy history…what did people drink 100 years ago? 200 years? 500? Gimme some of that. This historical recipe is definitely from the archives.
Have you heard of a sling? How about a bittered sling? As a libation, the Sling was the predecessor to the “Cocktail” (the Cocktail is actually the “bittered sling,” as it’s basically a sling with the addition of bitters). Not to be confused with the Singapore Sling (a popular tiki drink), the OG sling was an extremely popular American drink in the early 1800s, consumed all throughout the day from mornings to evenings.
With the extensive marketing promoting Angostura bitters in the 2nd quarter of the century, the “Cocktail” replaced the Sling as the libation of choice for imbibers, and the Sling fell into the depth of obscurity.
Whereas the traditional Cocktail is the combination of spirit, water, sugar, and bitters (now referred to as the “Old Fashioned”), the Sling lacks the bitters and usually adds a sprinkling of fresh nutmeg.
Could this drink taste better adapted to the wealth of modern ingredients and new techniques? Probably. Does it taste incredibly satisfying and enjoyable as-is? You bet. Sip on a taste of history today.