By Our Reporter
The Festive Artisan Tea Soirée 2025 returned for its highly anticipated second edition, delivering an intimate yet powerful celebration of tea artistry, cultural storytelling, and refined indulgence. Hosted at The Choate Boutique Hotel, the soirée unfolded as a masterclass in intentional luxury, anchored by a signature collaboration between Artisan Infusions, Moët & Chandon, and Whittard of Chelsea.
Curated and organised by Mercy Asiima, Founder of Artisan Infusions and the first distributor of Whittard of Chelsea in the region, the event set out to reframe how tea is experienced, understood, and celebrated in Uganda and beyond.
“The vision was to show people that tea is not limited, boring, or one-dimensional,” said Asiima. “Tea is incredibly versatile. It can be celebratory, social, indulgent, and modern. This soirée was about creating an experience that allows people to feel that.”
The soirée featured an exclusive Moët & Chandon x Whittard of Chelsea Signature Cocktail Collection, showcasing a blend of champagne and artisan tea infusions. Guests enjoyed six curated tea expressions, including two champagne cocktails, a gin infusion, and an ice-cream-infused drink, highlighting tea’s versatility across different flavors and formats.
“Moët & Chandon’s association with celebration made it the perfect anchor for this edition,” Asiima noted. “Pairing it with Whittard allowed us to unite two heritage brands in a way that felt elevated, unexpected, and experiential.”
The inclusion of alcohol was both strategic and inclusive. By meeting Ugandan social culture where it already exists, the menu invited both seasoned tea lovers and first-time explorers into the experience. From challenging the misconception that tea is exclusively “for women” to creating entry points for guests who may not ordinarily choose tea for pleasure, the curated bar menu expanded its social relevance.
“Tea deserves space wherever people gather,” Asiima explained. “If tea appeared on a bar menu, for instance, it creates a new entry point. Suddenly, more people are willing to explore it.”
Beyond the celebration, the Festive Artisan Tea Soirée carried a broader ambition. Asiima spoke passionately about repositioning tea as a lifestyle product and advocating for value addition within Uganda’s tea industry.
“Some of the best tea in the world comes from this region, yet much of it leaves without being transformed,” she said. “My dream is to create appreciation first. When people experience tea in all its forms, hot, cold, infused, paired, they begin to see its potential. That’s how innovation starts.”
Whittard of Chelsea’s diversity, intentional packaging, and commitment to quality served as a benchmark, not just of premium positioning, but of what is possible when tea is treated with care and creativity.
The Choate Boutique Hotel, nestled within the Kampala Club, provided a setting rich in history and meaning. Chosen for its legacy as a place of gathering and connection, the venue echoed the essence of a true soirée.
From arrival, guests were immersed in a carefully composed sensory journey. Performances by a Live Band offered Ugandan reinterpretations of R&B classics across the decades before transitioning into East African sounds, setting a tone that was nostalgic yet contemporary.
Guests embraced the retro glam dress code with elegance, while petite, thoughtfully paired hors d’oeuvres complemented the teas, and attentive service guided guests through a structured sensory tea ceremony, transforming the gathering into an educational and participatory event.
Every detail reinforced a single narrative: tea is not merely consumed, it is experienced.
Now in its second edition, the Festive Artisan Tea Soirée is intentionally kept intimate, with a long-term vision to grow into a community-driven platform offering curated experiences and deeper engagement with tea culture.
As conversations lingered and glasses were raised, the afternoon underscored a clear truth: the Festive Artisan Tea Soirée is fast becoming a cultural marker on Kampala’s lifestyle calendar.
For those in attendance, it was an afternoon of discovery and delight. For those who missed it, it served as a compelling invitation to what modern tea culture in Uganda is becoming.
