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Eschewing the big names popular with Singaporean imbibers, it's only Macallan single malt whisky for the area manager of a fragrance company.
On why the bachelor insists on a premium label, he says: 'There's not much difference in price - maybe about $20 to $40 more per bottle - between this and the more commercial brands, but it's the preference and taste.'
Mr Ong and his taste for the more expensive Macallan - which costs over $200 a bottle in most bars - rather than mere blended whisky, is representative of many Singaporeans whose drinking habits have become more sophisticated.
Their growing affluence and level of travel experience have led them to pursue unique and premium liquors, despite the higher price tag, according to distributors and club owners.
Ms Cristal Lim, director of business development for Delfi Singapore's wines and spirits division - which imports liquors such as Glengoyne single malt whisky from Scotland and the French cognac, Camus - says: 'People go for more premium products for their quality and also the image they want to identify with.
While more common brands such as Chivas Regal whisky, Tiger beer and Absolut vodka have held sway at nightspots for the longest time, lesser-known and more premium drinks are now being asked for as Singaporeans' preferences change.
For example, going down a treat is a Down Under beer, Cascade, from Australia's oldest brewery of the same name.
Other less obvious brands now being guzzled include Bulmers cider from England and Poland's premium Pravda vodka, which ranks, in terms of quality, alongside the top vodka brands such as Grey Goose and Belvedere.
'Singapore's market is changing whereby consumers have a choice of brands, unlike 10 years ago,' notes Mr Mark Lee, marketing manager for 6 Drunk Men, which distributes Cascade and Bulmers, among other drinks.
But drinking cool brands comes at a price - they cost between 20 and 100 per cent more than their mainstream equivalents, according to Ms Lim.
Mr Lee, however, points out that the 'prices of these drinks are not over the top but are, in fact, just slightly higher by a few dollars'.
For example, every month, up to 200 cartons of Cascade beer are sold at pubs such as BQ Bar, Beer Alley and Bungy Bar at between $9 and $12 for a 330ml bottle (compared to the more usual beers which go for between $6 and $12 per bottle), while Bulmers costs between $14 and $16 a bottle, compared to $10 to $12 for some other ciders.
Ms Carol Wah, marketing manager for Imaginings Group, which runs nightspots such as Wala Wala in Holland Village, Balaclava in Suntec Singapore and Bar-Stop in Devonshire Road, adds: 'People don't seem to mind paying. If they want a better-quality champagne or drink, they are willing to pay for it'.
Between five and eight bottles of the premium Mumm de Cromant champagne gets popped at Bar-Stop every week, and - gulp - each bottle goes for around $360.
At IndoChine Group of Bars and Restaurants, its marketing manager, Clementine Rogers says that sales of premium drinks - especially vodka and single malt whiskies - at its outlets have increased by between 20 and 30 per cent compared to last year.
She reckons that as many as 65 per cent of the patrons at IndoChine outlets go for premium drinks because of the demographic of these patrons.
'The majority are above 34 years of age, or corporate clients, so they are more discerning. The younger crowd, on the other hand, will go for the happy hour promotions where drinks go at one-for-one,' she shares.
Imaginings' Ms Wah says that its premium drinkers, who are professionals or executives in their mid-30s onwards, make up about 40 per cent of its customers.
She further reveals that this proportion was about the same a year ago, the only difference being that more women have now developed expensive tastebuds.
'Last year, out of these premium drinkers, about 70 per cent were men. This year, it's almost on par,' she says.
Those in the industry say customers are more savvy about what is available as a result of aggressive marketing and branding campaigns by liquor distributors, and more travelling being done by Singaporeans.
Delfi's Ms Lim says: 'Our generation of drinkers is very adventurous and open-minded. They travel and read more so they want to explore new things.'
Though there seems to be a dizzying array of choice, distributors are not worried that it will be a case of 'too many choices, too few buyers'.
Mr Lee says: 'We see opportunities now - Singapore being so cosmopolitan, with the emergence of the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Exhibitions (Mice) industry, the Integrated Resorts and the Formula One race happening. Our population is also expected to grow in the next 10 to 20 years, so there's going to be opportunities for everyone.'
And consumers like Mr Ong are saying cheers: 'It's fantastic that more premium drinks are coming in. Everyone wants to be able to choose and select, and it also allows them to discover new brands.'
