A Journey to LAODI Rum Distillery in Laos: A Connection That Began at a Talk for 15 People

2026.10.05

In short: the night before flying from Osaka (Kansai) to Laos, I look back on how I first met LAODI, a rum distillery in Laos founded by Japanese entrepreneur Mr. Inoue — at a small JICA-related talk with only about 15 people, around 2016 or 2017. By Mika Tanimoto, owner of Bar Little Happiness, a rum and whisky bar in Hiroshima, Japan.

Tomorrow, I fly from Kansai International Airport to Laos.

To be ready for the flight, I’m staying in Osaka tonight.

In a quiet hotel room, I’m remembering the first time I met LAODI.

Was it around 2016 or 2017?

A small JICA-related talk I happened to come across.

There were, I think, only about 15 people in the room.

There, I was deeply shaken by the vision of LAODI’s representative, Mr. Inoue, as he spoke about “social contribution” and “making spirits.”

A Japanese man in a faraway country, supporting local people and making a rum the world can be proud of.

Moved by the way he lives, I immediately made an appointment and had the honour of sharing a meal with him.

I had always been interested in things like volunteer work, and ever since then I have kept “following” Mr. Inoue and LAODI.

Since then I have been able to join him many times, and he always looks out for me. I can find no words other than thank you.

I’m going to touch the air there and take in Mr. Inoue’s feelings with all five senses.

I will share the trip in real time on the Stories of my personal account, www.instagram.com/rum.whisky.hiroshima.

The full story will be published in my column, “Notes on Whisky and Rum” (Uisukī to Ramu no Techō), linked from my profile 🔗.

I would be happy if you read it as if you were travelling with me.

Every encounter is meant to be.

Welcome to the world of Rum&Whisky.

▶️ Continue to Part 1 of my LAODI distillery visit