For decades, the global cocktail canon has been framed around sweetness: sugar syrups, fruit juices, dessert-like pleasures dressed up with citrus and foam. Yet across Asia, the drinks that quietly make the most sense are not sweet at all. They are salty, briny, spiced, fermented, sometimes even broth-like. From pickles and preserved vegetables to soups, sauces, and seasoned beers, the palate logic is already there. These drinks don’t ask the drinker to “learn” alcohol throug

Every bar visit is a chance to learn something new, and to walk away not just with a great drink, but with a story worth telling.

When people first encounter European liqueurs and spirits like Fernet, Chartreuse, or Campari, the reaction is often the same: “Wah, so bitter!”  or “This tastes like medicine.”  But if you think about it, Malaysians and Singaporeans already grew up surrounded by bitter, herbal, and smoky flavors. From liang cha  (cooling tea) to bak kut teh  to the smell of burning incense, many of these spirits have cousins in our local food culture. Let’s break them down in a way that make