Leather Aging

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Some bars have served "leather aged" cocktails or cocktails with  "leather infused" ingredients. As leather can be prepared in food-safe methods or in ways potentially very dangerous for consumption, caution must be made to use food-safe leather. [To Research: Does Food Safe Leather Exist?]

Leather-aged cocktails are frequently aged in bota bags or wineskins. These can be lined with neutral plastic materials (as most seem to be) or prepared in a traditional method with a "pitch" on the inside [link] that may have a pine flavor, and should be seasoned before using. [To Research: Are these allowable in the US?]

Safety Information: 

Most leather is prepared (tanned) with chromium [link], which is toxic. Leather can also undergo vegetable tanning. 

Additionally, bartenders should follow guidelines for barrel-aged cocktails with regard to high-proof, spoilage, etc. of ingredients used. 

Legal Information: 

A distillery in Minneapolis was told to stop production on their leather-aged aquavit and consumers were advised not to drink it, as it contained non-food-grade leather [link][link]. "The department found that Norseman used a “non food grade tanned leather (animal hide), which is an unapproved food ingredient."