Squid Mixes: Singapore Sling

We are currently planning a Southeast Asian themed dinner party and I am in charge of the featured cocktail.  The Singapore Sling seemed the obvious choice.  The drink's origins are traced back to a particular bartender: Ngiam Tong Boon at the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore, sometime before 1915.  Recipes vary greatly.  Mine came from The New York Bartender's Guide: gin, lemon juice, sugar, sparkling water with cherry brandy floated over the top.  A cherry and an orange slice are added for garnish.

The "floated over the top" part is the trick.  This was my first experiment with a layered cocktail.  I followed what instructions I could find on the web but as you can see from the photo, the brandy didn't so much float as sink directly to the bottom.  Gravity wins again.  There are recipes without the floating bit so I may opt for that for the party instead - easier anyway.

My wife, however, is more inclined to encourage a more authentic approach to world cuisine.  In other words, forget what the expats drink at the Raffles.  What do actual Southeast Asians drink?  Beer and French wine are both popular.  As for spirits, whiskey or rum very diluted with soda is the Thai tradition - this according to the excellent Hot Sour Salty Sweet by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid.  Perhaps we will have all options available for our guests.