Hooting Owl Distillery York, Leeds Travel Guide

Tucked away on Rougier Street just inside York’s ancient bar walls, Hooting Owl Distillery holds the distinction of being the city’s first licensed distillery within the historic walls. Housed in a modern, purpose-built space, it combines industrial charm with a touch of theatrical flair, where copper stills hum and botanicals steep in small batches. The distillery produces a wide range of spirits, including London Dry and fruit gins, premium vodka, rum and soon a York-inspired gin and bourbon-style spirit, all crafted with a strong sense of place and Yorkshire identity.

The heart of the experience is the working distillery, visible from the lounge area. Visitors can watch the distiller at work, turning carefully selected botanicals into aromatic gins and smooth spirits. The process is both scientific and artistic, with recipes guarded like secrets and batches handcrafted to ensure quality. The distillery’s capacity allows for around a thousand bottles a day, but production is deliberately kept small-batch to maintain character and consistency, giving each bottle a distinct, artisan feel.

Adjacent to the stills is an opulent lounge bar, designed to feel both luxurious and welcoming. Here, all of Hooting Owl’s handcrafted spirits are available neat, in cocktails or with mixers, alongside craft beers, lagers, fine wines and prosecco. The atmosphere is lively yet relaxed, with a capacity that prioritizes guest comfort over crowds. Whether you’re stopping in for a single drink or settling in for an evening, the bar offers a stylish, owl-themed backdrop for socializing, celebrations or simply unwinding after exploring the city.

For a deeper dive, the distillery tour and gin tasting is a highlight. Lasting about 75 minutes, it begins with a welcome drink and a guided walk through the distillery, explaining the process and the story behind the brand. The tasting session is both educational and entertaining, with samples of several gins and the chance to explore how different botanicals shape flavour. The experience finishes with a full measure of your chosen spirit, making it a memorable introduction to craft distillation.

Hooting Owl draws inspiration from Yorkshire’s history, landscapes and flavours, with each gin reflecting a different aspect of the region. The brand’s character is rooted in storytelling, blending myth, military history and local pride into its identity. As the only distillery currently operating within York’s city walls, it offers a rare opportunity to see spirits made on-site and to connect with the city’s evolving food and drink scene in a unique, immersive way.