Every year, on the third Saturday of May like today, whisky lovers around the world celebrate their relationship with the drink that has likely been by their side in the thick and thin of life. It was there when they married the love of their life and at the birth of their first born child. But it was also there when the hammer was threatening to come down on their most-prized project. In that uncertain moment, it helped them calm down and contemplate the next move.
Because whiskey is a contemplative drink. From the windswept coastlines of Scotland to the vibrant lounges of Kampala, whisky connects us through flavour, shared experience and heritage. And it is an illustrious heritage. Being one of the world’s most storeyed and enduring spirits in history, whisky’s fame precedes it all across the world. It is loved and revered even by those that have never tasted it. It is the Rolls Royce of drinks. It is always approached with a sense of awe and admiration even by people that are drinking it for the first time.
One of the most remarkable things about whisky is its versatility. There is no single way to enjoy it and that’s the beauty. Some like it neat to appreciate its texture. Others add a dollop of water to open up its aroma. Some like it on the rocks for a refreshing twist. Whisky can make cocktails and it can even be punched with coke. At the dinner table, it can be paired with chocolate, cheese, grilled meats, or seafood. Whisky adapts, elevates, and surprises. But more than how it’s served, it is the mindset that matters. Whisky invites us to slow down, savour the aroma, the colour, the finish, and the company. It tends to be a drink of choice for stoic, contemplative people. “There is a lot going on in the mind of someone who drinks whiskey because that is the sort of buzz it gives you. A whiskey drinker is likely to ask ‘Why are things like this?’ Whiskey asks you to consider possibilities …even uncomfortable ones. Whiskey drinkers ask questions. They just don’t do it aloud,” says whisky connoisseur, Dennis Asiimwe.
Oddly, some of the people that swear by this legendary beverage will tell you that they were first attracted to it because of the finesse it exudes. The tall bottles, the short, sturdy, crystal tumblers it is served in all play a role in romanticizing whiskey in the imaginations of the people. And so, from generation to generation, it attracts diehard fans with its magical magnetism. Whiskey’s amber colour is also part of its attraction. Orange is one of the more popular colors with regards to food, as far as human beings are concerned.
But away from its enduring fame and physical magnetism, those who initially come for the finesse and glamour stay for the taste. Whisky's complex and nuanced flavours are some of the aspects that keep the buffs coming. The smooth and rich taste, the nuanced notes of vanilla, oak, malt and the fruity undertones often put other spirits to shame. And before the world had the luxury of modern medicine, in the bygone days when sanitation was yet to be discovered, whiskey was believed to have healing and life-preserving properties, hence the nickname, “water of life”. So much to celebrate, clearly.
Mediterano
Closer to home, today’s celebrations are taking place at Mediterano in Kololo. They are hosted by Uganda Breweries Limited, the custodians of the Diageo Reserve portfolio. Diageo is responsible for literally all the whiskeys on Ugandan shelves today. “The evening will feature a specially curated menu by a celebrated Ugandan chef, with each course expertly paired with expressions of The Singleton.
Pairing whisky with food is one of the most best ways to experience the richness of whiskey,” says Roy Ronald Tumwizere, national advocacy manager at Uganda Breweries Limited. This dinner also marks the launch of the company’s new whiskey campaign titled “Savour the Single Moments”. This is a month-long series of classic dining experiences at top Kampala bars such as Silo, Rosa Wine Bar, Dymz and Elevate. Each event invites guests to slow down and enjoy The Singleton with dishes crafted to highlight the whiskey’s layered profile.
Man’s drink?
Traditionally, whisky is seen as masculine drink. More men tend to gravitate to it than women, but some women love whisky as much as men so. As a matter of fact, it's worth remembering that one of the foundational malts in the Johnnie Walker blend, Cardhu, was pioneered by a woman. In the 1800s, Helen Cumming quietly defied convention, distilling and selling whisky with determination and vision.
A select section women love whisky as much as men do, and I will leave it to my friend, Dennis Asiimwe, to describe them for you: “When a girl tells me she drinks whiskey, I pay attention to her because it means she’s sane (they lost their minds over 100 years ago),” he says. Interestingly, World Whisky Day was founded just recently, in 2012, by a 21-year-old university student at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Today, the day is celebrated in more than 47 countries, 13 years after its founding.
