Libations Rum has opened its doors right here in Leeds and you can now see how one of the city's favourite indie rum suppliers creates its award-winning spirits.
Founded in 2019, by ex-industry professionals Chloe Potter and Rory Armstrong, the pair have been slowly bringing the city a whole new spirit experience, sharing their name with pop-up events aplenty over the past few years.
Now settled in their very own distillery, you can take a peek behind the closed doors once a week and find out exactly what goes into making the popular spirit.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Every Saturday you can grab your mates and head over to a rather unassuming trading park in Armley and head through the deep blue doors to find a true hidden gem.
Every rum tour that takes you through exactly how Libations creates its small batch rum, and naturally there's a little taste testing included too so you can find out which of its signature blends are your favourite.
There's three staples to choose from: the Spiced Rum, the original and often most popular choice amongst crowds with lovely notes of butterscotch, oak, vanilla, dried fruit; the Piña Edition - originally a limited edition flavour that sees diced pineapples soaked in rum for a whopping six weeks before being bottled; and the Golden Rum, a good old fashioned favourite that's got plenty of fans across Leeds and beyond.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Find out how these guys are paving the way for a truly revolutionary distillery. Everything is created in house, right down to the labelling and bottling, and all the products brought in are from just a few miles away.
Owners Chloe and Miles are passionate about being carbon avoidant rather than having to offset emissions afterwards - even taking care to use up all their fruits used in their rum and offer out the leftovers to local restaurants like Liz Cottam's The Owl to minimise waste wherever possible.
The owners will explain everything you could possibly want to know about rum - and you can even take a peek at the experimental warm room, where they're preparing some special limited edition barrels - currently ageing in old port and Kentucky bourbon barrels.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Once you've explored the makings, it's time for tastings - and you can even shop with a 15% discount on any rum you want to take home with you.
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This is the perfect Saturday trip for any spirit lovers - and an opportunity to support a lovely local independent at the same time.
You can find out more about Libations Rum, including how to book onto the next tour on the Libations Rum website here.
Feature Image - The Hoot Leeds
Eats
Salon Madre – a new tequila bar and pool hall is opening in Leeds this month
Manchester's favourite Mexican bar is about to become your newest nightlife destination in Leeds.
It's been a long time coming, but Salon Madre is officially ready to open in Leeds.
Although we may have to wait a little bit longer for Madre, the day-to-night eatery that has made waves over in Manchester and Liverpool, Salon Madre, its lively tequila bar and pool hall sibling, is officially opening on Friday 20 February.
Salon Madre, which will be located just around the corner from Madre at 114 Wellington Street, is where the party really gets started.
Image: The Manc Group
Expect tequila-fuelled nights, pool tables, lively DJs and Lucha Libre on the big screens.
There will also be plenty of tacos being flung out the kitchen to keep you going until the early hours.
If you’ve ever visited one of their venues in Manchester or Liverpool, you’ll know it’s an absolute riot and we can’t wait to welcome them to the city.
Images: The Manc Group
Co-founder Sam Grainger, inspired by countless trips to Mexico, says: “Mexico is alive with passionate artisans and cooks, mastering everything from street tacos to regional delicacies. It’s a world where traditions blend and evolve and we’ve built that ethos into the heart of both Madre and Salon Madre.”
Madre Leeds will open soon and you can even grab yourself a free margarita by signing up to their newsletter here.
We’ll keep you up to date with their opening times but for now, we'll see you at Salon Madre for a boogie, margarita and game of pool next week.
Award-winning Leeds restaurant announces shock closure just months after opening
Clementine Hall
Emba in Leeds will be closing its doors with the owner blaming rising costs and pressure on the hospitality sector.
Back in April last year, one of Leeds' top restaurants The Owl closed its doors.
Run by renowned Chef Liz Cottam, The Owl was reimagine into Emba - a trendy restaurant tat bridged 'the gap between cosy bar and vibrant dining room'.
To open Emba, Cottam opened a Crowdfunder where supporters would be awarded with prizes such as VIP dinners and merch depending on how much they donated.
But sadly just months after opening, Emba is to close permanently.
Cottam confirmed the sad news with a statement shared with customers over the weekend, saying she was completely "heartbroken".
She said: “This is no longer the right time to own independent restaurants like Emba,” she said. “Under the current conditions they cannot survive and the recent budget confirmed what so many of us already knew: no meaningful help is coming for hospitality.
"The experience of being here and the harsh financial reality of running a business here no longer stack up.
"Being award winning, popular, admired and loved no longer means profitable and as an industry if we’re honest most of us have not truly been okay since Covid."
She signed off the statement promising to return to the restaurant world, she said: “What I do know is this, I am not done. I will keep cooking, keep creating and keep finding ways to do the thing I love.”
Sophie Smith -
8th June 2023 
