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
Fantastic Leeds bakery owner claps back at one-star review calling him ‘silly man’
One of Leeds' most popular independent bakeries has addressed a recent one-star review, which slammed them for being sold out of sandwiches.
Silver's Bakehouse, which comes from the same team behind Silver's Deli, suggested that the reviewer should 'work on their manners'.
The review hit out at the Farsley bakery for being sold out of sandwiches by the time they travelled 'an 80 minute round trip', describing owner Chris Riley as a 'silly man'.
The reviewer said they have been 'loyal high-spending customers since the first one opened' but wrote that they won't be visiting Silver's again after being left empty-handed.
They wrote: "It's all very good being mr instagram but things can go south very quickly silly man, make more sandwiches if you are going to be sold out in the first hour, don't risk the disappointment!!!"
Silver's Bakehouse has now publicly shared and responded to the review, stressing that they won't tolerate 'rudeness' and detailing the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
He said: "Let me explain again for you, David…
Inside Silver's Bakehouse in Farsley. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
"We start baking at 5am and rarely finish before 6pm. Everything is made fresh, by hand, often taking days to prepare, in a very small bakery. You can literally see how small it is - and we utilise every inch.
"We make as much as we physically can. Sometimes we sell out earlier than we’d like, and we’re incredibly grateful that so many people want what we make. But there is, unfortunately, a limit to how much we can produce.
"For the record, I’m not overly enthused about being “Mr Instagram” - what a truly horrendous phrase to conjure up. I managed to avoid it for years, but needs must and all that.
"I am genuinely grateful for your custom, David. Rudeness, however, I’m considerably less enthusiastic about.
"So yeah, we’ll keep working hard. You keep working on those manners."
Major plans announced for Leeds Christmas Markets 2026 – food, drinks, stalls and more
Thomas Melia
Leeds Christmas Markets is returning to the city centre in just two months' time and some major plans and changes have been announced.
Although Pop Princess Zara Larsson might want us to believe "Summer isn't over yet", it's safe to say that the recent downpours we've had across West Yorkshire disagree.
Leeds Christmas Markets are also ringing in the new season with a jam-packed video posted to social media announcing all the current plans and changes for its 2026 schedule.
This year, outdoor events company Thor’s Tipi are stepping up as the all-new operators of this Christmastime spectacular and are organising a celebration where 'even if you’re not from Yorkshire, you’re going to leave being from Yorkshire'.
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November with plenty of Yorkshire-centric stalls / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Although Leeds locals already know that Yorkshire is 'God's Own Country', the Leeds Christmas Markets team are making sure that the county is represented through its food, drinks and wider stalls.
In a video uploaded to its social accounts, foodie expert and Little Bao Boy Founder James 'Jimmy Chews' Ooi was given the honour of revealing all these exciting plans.
Informing everyone that "You best come hungry", Ooi noted that some of the phenomenal vendors taking part include La Grassa and The Savvy Baker.
Real Markets Yorkshire and Stump Cross Caverns are also getting into the Christmas spirit and setting up their own stalls at Leeds City Square this November.
La Grassa is just one of many familiar foodie faces returning to Leeds Christmas Markets / Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Rated restaurants and bars are contributing to the festive frenzy too, like Cabaret Thursdays at Italian restaurant Bibi's and beer garden destination Green Room are hosting singalongs at Leeds Christmas Markets.
There will be plenty of activities for families happening all around the unofficial capital of West Yorkshire like elf-themed scavenger hunts, various elves on various shelves and lots of live music.
If it wasn't apparent already, in the words of Jimmy Chews himself, there's about to be "So much Christmas that Mariah Carey is going to look like the Grinch".
Leeds Christmas Markets are returning to Leeds City Square from Thursday 19 November and there will be plenty of exciting announcements to the upcoming celebrations ahead of the big day.
Sophie Smith -
8th June 2023 
