When not being around sake and donning their happi coats, it’s hard to imagine these three men dedicating themselves to improving Singapore’s sake industry.
Adrian Goh is the director of sake distributorship Inter Rice Asi. He has been operating since 2013, supplying sake to a less developed market and nurturing it until present day, where sake is now enjoying a renaissance.
Accredited by entities like the Sake Service Institute, Sake Education Council, and the Sake Sommelier Association, the 40-year-old is the sensei (or teacher) many look to for guidance in the local sake scene.
Oh Reuben Luke, a 27-year-old who counts Goh as a mentor is one of them. In October 2021, he became the first Singaporean to receive the Young Sake Ambassador of the Year award given by the Sake Sommelier Association in London to the 18 to 30 age group.
Having the international limelight associated with it is a big win, not just for him, but for the sake scene in Singapore as well. While Oh became the first Young Sake Ambassador in Singapore, 55-year-old Joshua Kalinan – also Oh’s sensei and from whom he took courses – was the first Singaporean to claim the prestigious Sake Sommelier of the Year title back in 2018.
In a gruelling competition that includes a blind taste test, a food pairing challenge and more, the already-certified wine sommelier emerged victorious, adding the win to his list of accolades. It also includes Master Sake Sommelier, International Kikisake-shi, Certified in Sake & Shochu with the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS).
ALSO READ: Where to buy sake in Singapore: Online retailers and physical stores for some of Japan’s best nihonshu
A people business
Sake: The Secret Sauce of Singapore’s Food Scene
Ever chatted with someone in the local sake community here? Forget the business jargon, because the scene is practically a family reunion. Thanks to Goh, a lifelong lover of the drink, the community keeps close ties. “The players in this industry get along like peas in a pod,” he says, adding that distributors often grab dinner to brag about the newest trends.
Why Sake’s Social Vibe Is a Huge Draw
Oh loves the conviviality of the sake world. He’s been sipping since the age he could legally drink. As a former sake sommelier at Tokyo‐style restaurant Sake Labo, Oh emphasizes that “understanding your fellow drinkers’ palates is the secret sauce for any sommelier’s success.” He points out, “Every palate is distinct— you can’t just toss your knowledge into a blender and expect it to work everywhere.”
He notes that U.S. and Japanese folks have different preferences, so knowing what your audience craves is what truly makes you sparkle.
Meet Kalinan: The Kid Who Got Food & Sake Love
Kalinan, a hardcore foodie, knows local tastes like the back of his hand. He coined “food harmonising” to celebrate those epic pairings. “Finding my sweet spot in odd pairings wasn’t luck,” he bragged while serving a dish of mutton biryani with a glass of sake. “I know it sounds wild, but trust me— it works.”
He breaks down sakes into four buckets:
- Aromatic: the bouquet kind
- Light and airy: perfect for a breezy night
- Rich and voluptuous: for when the mood is indulgent
- Aged—nutty, mushroomy, caramel‑laden vibes
“Once you get the flavor profile of each, you can truly elevate the pairings,” Kalinan says.
Singapore’s Sake Curious Crowd
Foodies in Singapore are no longer afraid to experiment. They’re open, adventurous, and always on the hunt for the next sake‑food mashup. The local love for daring combos is undeniable—people actively seek fresh, unique ways to sip and savor.
Bottom line: If you’re looking to explore surprising pairings, the swagger of local palates and the world’s most flavorful sakes have you covered. Cheers to new flavor adventures!
An unlikely catalyst
Covid-19 created an opportune moment, with the last two years giving rise to many new touch points for Goh to spread his love for sake. The pandemic “actually created a lot of opportunities for consumers to get closer to the producers.”
Goh says, “Previously, if you wanted to learn more about a sake brewery, you would have to visit the brewery in Japan. We often hold talks with brewery owners and brew masters using technology like Zoom. As a result, more people have sought official certification with education providers of Japanese sake, resulting in a more discerning local consumer base.”
Kalinan’s experience is very much in line with this. “The pandemic has led to a boom in the alcohol industry, especially for sake,” he says, attributing that boom to an increase in online sales and a flood of new platforms to meet that increased demand. “People are buying sake online to have with food home because of the restrictions on dining during the pandemic.”
In addition to online consumption, offline consumption is also on the rise. “More sake bars were open during the pandemic,” observes Kalinan. “The number of non-Japanese restaurants offering sake is increasing. The recent export survey by the JSS surprised me when it showed that [Singapore] is the top importer of sake. This indicates that the demand for sake is on the rise.”
In turn, more people will join the trade. A new generation of sake-loving people is emerging. “Newcomers entering the industry signal its growth, and new ideas can revitalise the industry,” says Goh.
Oh offers sage advice to those new to the space. “Go into the F&B industry. You have to learn your customers’ tastes and work on the ground. Different cultures will taste sake differently. As a distributor, you need an understanding of people’s tastes, and you don’t get that by chance.”
He adds, defying the stereotype of an entitled generation. “It’s hard work and effort. Even if you’re in sake education, you should know what the surrounding palate is like. Alcohol is meant to be drunk, and you must know what people like. You can’t be relevant to the people if you aren’t relevant yourself.”
Always something on the horizon
Sake is enjoying its moment in the sun, but new challenges are surfacing. Through his many platforms, Goh continues to defy common misconceptions about sake. “I think it is a mistake to pair sake exclusively with Japanese cuisine. Because of its high umami content, sake pairs well with a variety of food.”
He explains how commonly perceived lower grades of sake can pair better with food. “People love Junmai Daiginjo sake because it is supposed to be the best. Some of the hottest sakes have been more modest in recent times. Junmai sake, considered to be more entry-level, is generally less aromatic but has more body, complexity, and umami. I feel it goes better [than the former] when taken together with food.”
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In a similar vein, Kalinan urges consumers “not to be fixated on famous brands”. The sake education he promotes is more important than inflated titles and branding. “Understand the sake lexicon and the various styles. Don’t go straight for the lowest polishing ratio possible, such as Junmai Daiginjo.”
Oh feels the same, and is even noticing the change already occurring. People are looking for different flavours now. He notes an experience he had at Sake Labo. “After serving one customer for an entire night, she asked me which ones were Junmai Daiginjos. I told her none of them were, even though all of them were nice.”
He finds this to be a welcome shift, saying that drinking only Junmai Daiginjos is akin to only drinking Burgundy wines.
Now with plans to tour sake breweries in Japan and improve his sake knowledge by “going to the source and meeting the people behind it,” Oh sees his journey in the sake world as only just beginning.
The same is true for Goh and Kalinan. Even though they are in different stages of their voyage from Oh, they are only now just enjoying the first fruits of their labour as the sake industry approaches a new dawn.
This article was first published in The Peak.
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