Why Kampala whisky drinkers are looking beyond the price tag

• Bartenders: Kampala bar staff are increasingly guiding customers through whisky choices.

• Whisky education: Tastings and mentorship sessions are teaching drinkers about flavours and expressions.

• Premium brands: The Singleton, Johnnie Walker and Roe & Co are part of the growing whisky conversation.

• Training: Masterclasses are helping bartenders improve product knowledge, technique and customer service.

Kampala’s whisky culture is changing as bartenders take on a bigger role in helping customers understand what they are drinking, rather than simply serving whatever bottle they order.

For some drinkers, whisky choice once came down to price, bottle design and familiarity. That is starting to shift as tastings, mentorship sessions and better-trained bartenders expose consumers to different expressions, flavours and drinking styles.

One Kampala whisky enthusiast says the change came after attending sessions at The Chef’s Table.

“I used to think whisky was just whisky. I never understood why one brand could have five different bottles and all of them had different prices,” the customer says. “After the mentorship, I started becoming deliberate about the expressions I was drinking.”

That experience reflects a wider change in Kampala’s premium bar scene.

Bartenders are becoming guides. A whisky order can now lead to questions about whether a customer prefers smoky, fruity or smoother flavours. They may also ask whether the drinker wants whisky neat, with ice or in a cocktail.

The rise of premium brands and more whisky expressions has encouraged that shift. The Singleton, Johnnie Walker and Roe & Co are among the brands being used to introduce customers to different styles.

At The Singleton’s Big Meeting, drinkers have taken part in tastings and mentorship sessions covering single malts, flavour profiles and the differences between expressions from the same brand.

UBL Reserve Brand Ambassador Steven Baguma says many consumers want to explore whisky but lack enough information to make confident choices.

“Many times, people wish to have a whisky, but fail to make up their minds because of limited information and knowledge,” Baguma says. “We are here to help them make informed decisions, plus, ensure they enjoy whisky the best way it ought to be enjoyed.”

Even the spelling can become part of the education.

Scotland and Japan commonly use “whisky”, while Ireland and the United States generally use “whiskey”. The Singleton is therefore a Scotch whisky, while Roe & Co is an Irish whiskey.

For consumers, however, the bigger difference comes through understanding flavour and serving styles.

Mixologist Jane Apio says professional training changed the way she approached bartending.

“As a mixologist, I would be consulted on what drinks to mix,” Apio says. “A customer would walk up to me and ask to take a gin. I would then give them a range of drinks that would blend well with the gin.”

Veteran mixologist Ivan Kanyesigye says product knowledge should come before cocktail-making skills.

“When I am teaching people, the first thing I show them is not how to make a cocktail but help them understand their drinks,” he says.

That knowledge gives customers room to explore.

A drinker may move from one familiar Johnnie Walker expression to another, taste The Singleton neat before considering a cocktail, or discover how Irish whiskey differs from Scotch.

Bartender training has also become more visible in Kampala. Masterclasses and competitions now bring professionals together to improve their technique, product knowledge and understanding of the business.

A recent Tanqueray masterclass brought together more than 30 bartenders for sessions on mixology, technique and bartending as a profession.

Kanyesigye says the goal should still remain simple.

“I am not there to make you drunk, I am there to ensure that you have a good time,” he says.

Whisky education in Kampala is therefore moving beyond formal tastings. It can happen through a short conversation at the bar, a guided tasting or a bartender encouraging a customer to try something unfamiliar.

The city’s whisky culture is becoming less about identifying the most expensive bottle and more about understanding why a particular drink appeals to the person holding the glass.