By Our Reporter
At a hilltop residence in Mutungo, overlooking the quiet hum of Kampala’s evening, business leader and entrepreneur James Byaruhanga a.k.a Byaru and his wife, Tasha Nkwanzi, the founder and proprietor Tashas Deli and Happy Pigs Farm, opened their home to an intimate circle of friends and associates for an experience that blended refinement, curiosity, and a touch of theatre.
The occasion- a private whisky tasting centered on the 2025 Diageo Special Releases, themed Horizons Unbound.
The guest list reflected Byaruhanga’s wide professional reach; drawn from Uganda’s tech, trading, hospitality, and entertainment sectors. It was a fitting mix for a man whose career straddles both the precision of digital infrastructure and the rhythm of creative enterprise.
As CEO/MD Roke Cloud, a subsidiary of Roke Telkom, and a board member of the Private Sector Foundation Uganda- representing ICT, Byaru has built such a huge reputation in digital transformation. Yet, beyond boardrooms and data centres, 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 & Wine.
This duality set the tone for the evening: structured yet relaxed, educational yet playful.
At the heart of the gathering was a guided ‘Single Malt Limited Edition immersion’ 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 whisky, how it differs from other spirits, and why it commands such reverence globally.
Five expressions from the 2025 Special Releases were showcased: Clynelish 18 Years, Talisker 14 Years, The Singleton of Glen Ord 17 Years, Lagavulin 12 Years, and Oban 12 Years. Each bottle, guests were told, represented a bold interpretation of tradition, crafted from 100 percent malted barley at individual distilleries.
But the evening was less about lectures and more about immersion.
Glasses were raised, swirled, and studied. Guests leaned in, noses hovering over their drams, as Kaita emphatically guided them through the sensory ritual. “The journey to enjoying whisky involves all the senses; sight, smell, taste, and touch,” she explained, as she encouraged guests to slow down and engage fully.
For many, it was a first encounter with the ritualistic side of whisky drinking. Questions flowed freely, often with a hint of amusement.
“Do we do this only for whisky?” one guest asked, “or even rum, vodka and gin?”
Laughter rippled through the group, but the curiosity was genuine. And it was precisely this openness that defined the night.
Between tastings, the session took on a lively, almost competitive edge. Guests were challenged to identify different expressions by aroma and flavor, or to describe the textures and notes on their palate. Some embraced the exercise with surprising confidence.
Radio personality Gaetano Kaggwa, one of the evening’s more animated participants, quickly adopted the language of connoisseurs, sometimes with dramatic flair. “I think this particular whisky is very robust,” he declared at one point, prompting bursts of laughter around the table.
Yet beneath the humor, lay a clear enthusiasm. Guests compared notes, debated flavors, and leaned into the unfamiliar vocabulary of peat, spice, and finish. It was less about getting it right and more about learning to notice.
Kaita, gently steering the experience, reminded them of the philosophy underpinning it all: “Whisky is not galloped. It is sipped slowly. It must be appreciated.”
Byaru, moving easily among his guests, appeared less like a host showcasing luxury, and more like a curator of experience, bringing people together to explore something nuanced, and for many, entirely new.
As the evening unfolded, the tasting evolved into something deeper than a sampling of premium spirits. It became a conversation about almost everything.
In fact there was a time, Juliana Kaggwa, the CEO Uganda Tourism Board, also a guest, took time off to ask people around to visit Ugandan sites. “There’s a lot this country can offer. Please take some time and visit our sites,” she said.
Complementing the whisky journey was a thoughtfully prepared menu by Shisha Nyama, whose dishes leaned into bold, earthy flavors that mirrored the complexity of the drams, culminating in a perfectly grilled, flame-kissed meat from Tasha Deli, that anchored the night with a familiar, indulgent warmth.
Byaru, known for various things, was more than a host, he ended the night by inviting his guests for a steak, which he called meat made and eaten in a way most of us understand so well.
By the end of the night, there was both big and small talk in the room, but above it all, some people had picked up a taste, and not any taste.