Ichiro Akuto and Marcin Miller in Paris

Akuto-san speaking in Tokyo last year

Update: For latest details on Marcin and Akuto's European appearances, see Marcin's Twitter feed.

Ichiro Akuto, Japan's leading independent whisky distiller, and his European distributor Marcin Miller will be sharing their drinks and their thoughts in Paris next week.

Akuto, the man behind the respected "Ichiro's Malt" single malts and the new Chichibu distillery in Saitama, and Miller, of the Number One Drinks Company, will talk at a sell-out dinner at Hanawa, a top Japanese restaurant just off the Champs Elysee, on Wednesday, February 9.

The event is being organised by (who else?) La Maison du Whisky, who are the French distributors of Akuto's whisky (and orchestrators of pretty much all of this amazing Japanese whisky scene that is developing in Paris right now). Five premium whiskies will accompany food, so the lucky ticket holders will get their 60 Euros worth. I must admit that I had hoped to get this news out before all the tickets were sold (60 Euros a piece) but it seems interest in Japanese whisky in the French capital has reached such a boil that one must be several months in advance with the news to give readers any chance of nabbing a seat. "Ganbarimasu," as they say in these parts ("I'll try my best"). Anyone interested in getting fuller details of Akuto and Ichiro's Paris tour (I think they will also be dropping their heads into a few shops) can drop a line to n.sikorski at whisky.fr.