Celebrate World Whiskey Day at a barbecue and jazz session, and learn more about this spirit

It was the Irish who invented whiskey in the 10th century as a medicine Their distilled and aged barley water proved so delicious that they named it uisge beatha or agua vitae Latin water of life Since then it has been the favourite of icons from Winston Churchill and Mark Twain to Frank Sinatra and Haruki Murakami For Jude de Souza founder of The Revolver Club it is the perfect drink for an evening of jazz To mark World Whiskey Day today the club will host a listening session of Prohibitionera jazz with a whiskey and barbeque tasting session in BandraJude de SouzaldquoJazz music has a natural connection to whiskeyrdquo he explains While the evening is more experiential than academic de Souza says ldquoFor music lovers it is a nostalgic connection The jazz renaissance of the Prohibitionera had a lot to do with the drink of whiskey that drew people to watering holes which moonlighted as liquor densrdquo From Charlie Parker Dizzy Gillespie to Miff Mole and Benny Goodman the music will match the vintage taste of the spirit he promises ldquoWe want to create a vibe that people can enjoy while listening to the musicrdquo de Souza addsA listener takes in a vinyl sessionGagan Sharma certified sommelier and founder of Indulge India explains the mystery of the drink to our amateur mind ldquoIt has evolved with civilisation and caused civilisation to evolverdquo he remarks Having hosted several tasting sessions across the world Sharma reveals that the Indian consumer is showing a growing interest in bourbon and aged American whiskeys as well as the caskaged onesTo avoid a hangover of technical terms we let the expert unravel the perfect whiskey for you to try out see rightOn May 20 8pmAt Veranda Rooftop 331 Pali Hill Bandra WestLog on to revolverclubcomEntry RSVPFreeJapanese single malt whiskey Pics CourtesyWikimedia CommonsFor the adventurousThose seeking a little adventure should head East says Sharma The rise of Japanese and Indian whiskey is filled with delightful surprisesRecommendations Toki Japanese for its subtle refined qualitiesBest served With a dash of water or in a highball Gianchand India carries a sweetish spicy tasteBest served Straight or on the rocksGagan SharmaFor the noviceIf your palate is new to the spirit Sharma recommends beginning with Irish whiskey ldquoThey are lighter andfruitier and make for a good starting pointrdquo he remarks American whiskeys arealso a good choice because they have a sweeter palate he points outRecommendations Jameson Irish carries a light and fruity flavour which is popular among the youthBest served With ginger ale Jim Beam American is a lighter smooth and simple bourbonBest served In an oldfashioned cocktail or with cola or ginger aleParticipants at a whiskeytasting session by Gagan SharmaFor the culturedIf your palate prefers a more advanced selection there is a wide variety to choose from ldquoThe complex flavours of scotch are a good choicerdquo he notes adding that they are best drunk neat or with a dash of water To our surprise he cites that whiskey etiquette is to mainly drink it neat ldquoWe tend to prefer it on the rocks or with cold cola because of the warm weatherrdquo he explains Peated whiskeys are also growing in popularity Sharma points out With complex and refined flavours they suit the advanced palateRecommendations Woodford Reserve American is a twicebarreled matured bourbonBest served Neat Woodburns India carries a fullbodied smoky flavourBest served Neat Laphroaig 10 years Scotch peated with its medicinal smoky flavourBest served Straight or with a dash of water Glenfiddich 15 Scotch is a matured single malt with a complex aromaBest served NeatThree musttry whiskey cocktails1 Whiskey sourSometimes called a Boston sour it is traditionally made using Scotch lemon juice sugar and a dash of egg white to go2 Oldfashioned whiskeyA traditional whiskey cocktail made with bitters soda water and an orange garnish on top3 Whiskey highballCreated in the 1900s it combines whiskey with soda water or ginger ale and a lemon garnish