Wijaya Irawan does not want to be called a mixologist. “Bartending is a more accurate description of my work, after all, I’m tending the bar. ‘Mixologist’ is a more atas (high-class) term used for marketing purposes,” the soft-spoken 28-year-old said with a shy smile.

Whether bartender or mixologist, one thing’s for sure: Wijaya is a whiz at making good cocktails. As I’m speaking to him, I’m blissfully sipping his concoction called the Gin & Jade – Tanqueray London Dry Gin with Vedrenne lychee liqueur, freshly squeezed lemon juice and homemade pandan syrup. It is a fascinating drink – punchy and citrusy in the beginning, with an earthy, mellow finish of pandan.

Five years ago, Wijaya had plans to go to culinary school. But then, he started bartending at the speakeasy-style bar, Klee, where its founder Ken Loon, exposed him to the fascinating world of bespoke cocktails involving lots of fresh fruit and premium spirits.

After Klee closed in late 2010, Wijaya has been busy acting as a consultant to various bars and restaurants in Singapore. His latest project is Five & Dime Eatery, a new establishment at 297 River Valley Road where I meet him for this interview.

There is more than meets the eye in “tending the bar” and there is a lot of work to be done behind the scenes. He remarks, “I have to source out which ingredients are in season, and constantly take stock of the inventory. Sometimes, I have to go through crates of fruit and throw out the rotten ones. There’s also plenty of cleaning involved; glasses, equipment, ice well, and fridge must all be spic and span.” He adds that besides creating and preparing cocktails for customers, a bartender also needs to be a good host.

He says that his inspiration for cocktails stem from personal experiences. “For example, one of the more popular cocktails at Klee was Calamansi Sour (essentially gin or vodka with calamansi and rose syrup). This was inspired by my childhood memory of drinking syrup limau (a drink which combines rose syrup and lime) at roti prata stalls.”

A bartender’s job is not for the wallflowers. Connecting and socialising with your customers is all in a day’s work. He says, “For regulars, it’s the little things like remembering their names and what cocktails they like to drink. Sometimes, I would calibrate the cocktails according to their preferences, so it really becomes that perfect drink for them.” He treats his customers like friends and recalls how one of them actually brought back an 18kg watermelon from Taiwan as a gift. “It was such a sweet watermelon,” he says.

“However, I need to draw the line sometimes. For customers who’ve had too much to drink, I would not serve them any more cocktails and give them water instead. I’d tell them to wait 1-2 hours for their next drink.”

One of the trends he sees in the Singapore cocktail scene is that more men are picking up cocktails. “People are now aware that not all cocktails are “girly” and served in dainty cocktail glasses. For example, there are drinks like the Old Fashioned that uses strong liquor like whisky or brandy and are served in more “manly-looking” short, round glasses.”

Wijaya remarks that getting into the cocktail business is a very fulfilling job but definitely not glamorous. “For guys who only want to go into it because you want to look cool and pick girls up, please reconsider. There’s a lot of studying and memory work involved and you need to read up on the essential cocktail books by Dale de Groff and Ben Reed.”

In terms of technique, aspiring bartenders need to keep practicing till they get the hang of things: dosages, time taken to shake the cocktails, what kind of ice to use, and the strength used in muddling. He advises, “If possible, visit bars in the US or the UK to experience what true cocktail culture is like. These places are where all the latest cocktail trends are being created, while Singapore is usually about 5-10 years behind.”

Wijaya and the team from Klee will be launching a new F&B concept later on this year.