At a hilltop residence in Mutungo, overlooking the quiet hum of Kampala’s evening, business leader and entrepreneur James Byaruhanga, also known as Byaru, together with his wife Tasha Nkwanzi, opened their home to an intimate circle of friends and associates for an experience that blended refinement, curiosity, and a touch of theatre.
The gathering brought together guests from Uganda’s tech, trading, hospitality, and entertainment sectors, reflecting Byaruhanga’s wide professional reach.
As CEO and Managing Director of Roke Cloud, a subsidiary of Roke Telkom, and a board member of the Private Sector Foundation Uganda representing ICT, he has built a reputation in digital transformation.
Beyond that, he is also part of the force behind House of DJs, a production outfit known for curating some of Kampala’s most vibrant entertainment experiences, including Blankets and Wine.
This duality shaped the tone of the evening, structured yet relaxed, educational yet playful.
At the centre of the experience was a guided session led by reserve ambassadors Melanie Kaita and Steven Baguma from Uganda Breweries Limited.
Before the first sip, guests were introduced to the fundamentals, what defines a single malt, how it differs from other spirits, and why it commands such reverence globally.
Five expressions were showcased, each crafted from 100 percent malted barley at individual distilleries, and presented as bold interpretations of tradition. But the evening leaned less on presentation and more on participation.
Glasses were raised, swirled, and studied, as guests leaned in with curiosity. Many were encountering the ritualistic side of tasting for the first time, moving beyond simply drinking to actively engaging their senses.
“The journey to enjoying whisky involves all the senses; sight, smell, taste, and touch,” Kaita explained, encouraging guests to slow down and take in each moment.
Questions flowed easily, often with a mix of humour and genuine curiosity.
“Do we do this only for whisky?” one guest asked, “or even rum, vodka and gin?”
Laughter followed, but the curiosity was real, and it defined the atmosphere of the evening.
As the session progressed, it took on a lively edge, with guests attempting to identify different expressions by aroma and flavour, or describe textures and notes on their palate. Some embraced the challenge with surprising confidence.
Radio personality Gaetano Kaggwa stood out among the more animated participants, adopting the language of connoisseurs, sometimes with dramatic flair. “I think this particular whisky is very robust,” he declared, drawing laughter from around the table.
Beneath the humour, however, was a growing sense of appreciation. Guests compared notes, debated flavours, and gradually became more comfortable expressing what they experienced, even when the vocabulary felt unfamiliar.
Kaita continued to guide the room with a simple reminder, “Whisky is not galloped. It is sipped slowly. It must be appreciated.”
As the evening unfolded, the experience deepened into conversation. Guests moved beyond the tasting, engaging on a range of topics from business and creativity to travel and culture.
At one point, Juliana Kaggwa, Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Tourism Board, encouraged guests to explore destinations within the country during the Easter period.
“There’s a lot this country can offer, please, take sometime and visit our sites,” she said.
The culinary experience complemented the evening, with a menu prepared by Shisha Nyama, featuring bold, earthy flavours that matched the depth of the session. It culminated in a flame grilled selection from Tasha’s Deli, bringing a familiar and indulgent warmth to the gathering.
Byaruhanga, moving easily among his guests, came across less as a host showcasing luxury and more as a curator of experience, bringing people together to explore something nuanced and, for many, entirely new.
He later invited guests to share a steak, describing it as meat made and eaten in a way most understand, grounding the evening in simplicity after a journey of layered experiences.
By the close of the night, the room carried both light and meaningful conversations. Many guests had moved from casual participation to a more attentive way of experiencing, not just what was in their glass, but the moment itself.
In the end, the gathering was less about what was served, and more about what was discovered, a shared journey from curiosity to awareness, unfolding quietly above the city.
