York's Chocolate Story: New rum and chocolate tours take visitors from Caribbean shores to York’s historic heart

Now it has turned to rum, promising to bring together two flavours which share their origins in some of the warmest and most idyllic parts of the world.

The new fortnightly tours are a collaboration between the King’s Square attraction and Hooting Owl Distillery – the only distillery located within York’s historic walls.

Visitors will be able to taste five rums, paired with chocolates, whilst expert guides share the stories behind both delicacies – their origins, history and what makes each one special.

“We’re always looking out for new ways to tell the stories of York’s confectionary heritage and to bring one-of-a-kind experiences to our guests,” says Stuart Wood, general manager at York’s Chocolate Story.

"With chocolate and rum having so much in common from their shared flavour profiles to their cultural roots - growing beside each other in equatorial regions and in the Caribbean - this pairing feels like a natural next step.

“Since launching our gin and chocolate tours last year, we’ve seen firsthand the passion people have for food origin stories and the incredible pairings they can create with our luxurious chocolate.

"We’re fortunate to have been able to team up with Hooting Owl Distillery once again, whose unique flavours provide the basis for our new exploration into how rum and chocolate seamlessly come together.”

As well as their joint origins, both chocolate and rum have a rich vein of caramels, vanilla and spices in their flavourings – and flavour profiles take centre stage during the 90-minute exploration.

Visitors will be able to sample the likes of a mocha rum and coconut rum and can get hands on as they pipe their own chocolate bars before witnessing a chocolatier demonstration showing how to craft rum-filled chocolates.

The tour will explore the early days of chocolate making in York, as well as rum’s global journey from sugarcane to celebrated spirit, with organisers claiming visitors can “learn how to truly appreciate these rich flavours”.

Dominic M’Benga, founder of Hooting Owl, says: “Hooting Owl is all about history and flavour, so what better partner in the city of York, a city built on chocolate.”

It was once known as the chocolate city, with the likes of Rowntree’s and Terry’s chocolate factories employing thousands of people.

As one former employee once told The Yorkshire Post, “when you left school in York you either went to the railway, joined the army or worked in chocolate.”

York’s Chocolate Story’s rum and chocolate tours run every other Thursday evening, beginning on June 19.

To book, visit yorkschocolatestory.com