If there’s one space that has given Ugandans an opportunity to familiarise themselves with whisky, it is definitely The Singleton’s Big Meeting. Held at Thrones Lounge Bar and Restaurant every last Sunday of the month, the gathering gives Ugandans an opportunity to mix their own drinks, especially crafting cocktails from scratch.
On Sunday, however, much as people still made their own cocktails, there was more of a mentorship in single malt whisky. Aimed at helping revellers enjoy their whiskies, the mentorship saw Uganda Breweries Limited’s advocacy team- the people mandated to unpack and teach consumers about whisky in its entirety- take a group of enthusiasts through tasting sessions and making comparisons with different bottles.
The special interest in single malt whiskies shone a light on bottles such as the Talisker 10, Cragganmore 12 and Glenkinchie 12, three flagship expressions usually celebrated for their smoky, oaky, and creamy flavour profiles.
From one bottle to the next, different people showed up and were taken through different routines, such as picking up the scent through the whisky-nosing glass, swirling it while facing the light, and later tasting it.
“Culturally, gold is the colour of whisky, but all whiskies don’t look the same. Some are darker, while others are lighter,” said Steven Baguma, UBL’s Reserve Ambassador.
During his session, he told his audience that whisky usually has different aromas, but one has to be trained to pick them up. From apples to oranges, they tried out different scents.
“I think there is a bit of this,” said one of the ladies, raising a glass jar with dried vanilla leaves.
Vanilla is one of the most identifiable notes, especially in bourbon and whiskies aged in American oak. Vanilla is so recognisable in many whiskys that some people have long believed that it is added as a flavour.
The scent, however, arises entirely from natural chemistry inside wooden casks during maturation. Baguma says that vanilla is easier to pick up, but other scents can be picked up through other techniques, such as adding at least a drop of water to the nosing glass already containing whisky.
He emphasised that it is important to have such sessions with people to help them appreciate and enjoy their whisky better.