Many of Scotland’s distilleries we’re built centuries ago hence the variety of traditional names, other more recent established distilleries such as Bruichladdich continue this tradition. Unfortunately while Gaelic is a an incredibly poetic language the most recent census data suggests that only
1.1 per cent (or 58,000) of the Scottish population actually speak Gaelic resulting in a plethora of pronunciations even in Scotland.
In other countries such as France or America with a high demand for Scotch whisky the names themselves are even less frequently pronounced correctly so here at Uisce Beatha we’ve compiled a list of often mispronounced distilleries with their correction pronunciation, the top few are some of the most instantly recognisable but we’ve created a pronunciation table for every
currently active distillery.
Cardu Distillery
The distillery derives its name from the Scots Gaelic Carn Dubh, or ‘Black Rock’ is pronounced
Kaar-doo with an extra stress on the a.
Laphroig Distillery
The Gaelic name Laphroaig means ‘the beautiful hollow by the broad bay is pronounced Lah-froyg
Bruichladdich Distillery
The distillery name is derived from two Gaelic words brudhach and chladdich translated as ‘brae by the shore’ and is pronounced Broo-ick-laddie the ch being silent.
Lagavulin Distillery
Lagavulin is an Anglicization of the lag a’mhuilin or the ‘hollow by the mill’ and is pronounced Lah-gah-vool-in.
Other Scotch Whisky Pronunciations
| Distillery |
Pronunciation |
Region |
Founded |
| Aberfeldy Distillery |
Ah-bur-fell-dee |
Highlands |
1896 |
| Aberlour Distillery |
Ah-burl-ow-er |
Speyside |
1826 |
| Abhainn Dearg Distillery |
Aveen Jer-uck |
Highlands |
2008 |
| Ailsa Bay Distillery |
Ale-sah Bay |
Lowlands |
2007 |
| Allt-A-Bhainne Distillery |
olta-vayne |
Speyside |
1975 |
| Annandale Distillery |
Ann-an-dail |
Lowlands |
2014 |
| Arbikie Distillery |
Ar-Bikay |
Highlands |
2014 |
| Ardbeg Distillery |
Ard-beg |
Islay |
1815 |
| Ardmore Distillery |
Ard-mower |
Highlands |
1898 |
| Ardnamurchan Distillery |
Ardne-murken |
Highlands |
2013 |
| Auchentoshan Distillery |
Ock-en-tosh-en |
Lowlands |
1823 |
| Auchroisk Distillery |
Ar-thrusk |
Speyside |
1974 |
| Aultmore Distillery |
Ollt-more |
Speyside |
1896 |
| Balblair Distillery |
Bal-blair |
Highlands |
1790 |
| Ballindalloch Distillery |
Balin-dowk |
Speyside |
2014 |
| Balmenach Distillery |
Bal-may-nack |
Speyside |
1824 |
| Balvenie Distillery |
The Balv-en-ee |
Speyside |
1892 |
| Ben Nevis Distillery |
Ben Nev-iss |
Highlands |
1825 |
| Benriach Distillery |
Ben-ree-ack |
Speyside |
1897 |
| Benrinnes Distillery |
Ben-rin-ess |
Speyside |
1826 |
| Benromach Distillery |
Ben-ro-mack |
Speyside |
1898 |
| Bladnoch Distillery |
Blad-nock |
Lowlands |
1817 |
| Blair Athol Distillery |
Blair Ath-ull |
Highlands |
1798 |
| Bowmore Distillery |
Bo-mower |
Islay |
1779 |
| Braeval Distillery |
Brave-all |
Speyside |
1973 |
| Bruichladdich Distillery |
Broo-ick-laddie |
Islay |
1881 |
| Bunnahabhain Distillery |
Buh-nah-hav-enn |
Islay |
1881 |
| Cameronbridge Distillery |
Cameronbridge |
Lowlands |
1824 |
| Caol Ila Distillery |
Cull-eela |
Islay |
1846 |
| Cardhu Distillery |
Car-doo |
Speyside |
1824 |
| Clynelish Distillery |
Kline-leash |
Highlands |
1967 |
| Cragganmore Distillery |
Crag-an-mower |
Speyside |
1869 |
| Craigellachie Distillery |
Craig-ell-ack-ee |
Speyside |
1891 |
| Daftmill Distillery |
Daf-mill |
Lowlands |
2005 |
| Dailuaine Distillery |
Dall-yoo-an |
Speyside |
1852 |
| Dalmore Distillery |
Dal-mower |
Highlands |
1839 |
| Dalwhinnie Distillery |
Dal-whinnay |
Highlands |
1897 |
| Deanston Distillery |
Deen-stun |
Highlands |
1965 |
| Dufftown Distillery |
Duff-t-ow-n |
Speyside |
1896 |
| Eden Mill Distillery |
Eden Mill |
Lowlands |
2014 |
| Edradour Distillery |
Ed-rad-ow-er |
Highlands |
1825 |
| Fettercairn Distillery |
Fett-uhr-care-n |
Highlands |
1824 |
| Girvan Distillery |
Gir-vahn |
Lowlands |
1963 |
| Glen Elgin Distillery |
Glen Elg-in |
Speyside |
1898 |
| Glen Garioch Distillery |
Glen Gee-ree |
Highlands |
1797 |
| Glen Grant Distillery |
Glen Grr-ant |
Speyside |
1840 |
| Glen Gyle Distillery |
Glen Gyle |
Campbeltown |
2004 |
| Glen Keith Distillery |
Glen Key-th |
Speyside |
1957 |
| Glen Moray Distillery |
Glen Mor-ay |
Speyside |
1897 |
| Glen Ord Distillery |
Glen Ord |
Highlands |
1838 |
| Glen Scotia Distillery |
Glen Skoh-sha |
Campbeltown |
1832 |
| Glen Spey Distillery |
Glen Spay |
Speyside |
1878 |
| Glenallachie Distillery |
Glen-alla-key |
Speyside |
1967 |
| Glenburgie Distillery |
Glen-bur-gee |
Speyside |
1810 |
| Glencadam Distillery |
Glen-cad-am |
Highlands |
1825 |
| Glendronach Distillery |
Glen-dro-nack |
Highlands |
1826 |
| Glendullan Distillery |
Glen-dull-an |
Speyside |
1897 |
| Glenfarclas Distillery |
Glen-fark-lass |
Speyside |
1836 |
| Glenfiddich Distillery |
Glen-fidd-ick |
Speyside |
1886 |
| Glenglassaugh Distillery |
Glen-glass-ock |
Highlands |
1875 |
| Glengoyne Distillery |
Glen-goyn |
Highlands |
1833 |
| Glenkinchie Distillery |
Glen-kinch-ee |
Lowlands |
1837 |
| Glenlivet Distillery |
Glen-liv-it |
Speyside |
1824 |
| Glenlossie Distillery |
Glen-loss-ay |
Speyside |
1876 |
| Glenmorangie Distillery |
Glen-morrun-jee |
Highlands |
1843 |
| Glenrothes Distillery |
Glen-roth-iss |
Speyside |
1878 |
| Glentauchers Distillery |
Glen-tock-hers |
Speyside |
1897 |
| Glenturret Distillery |
Glen-turr-et |
Highlands |
1775 |
| Highland Park Distillery |
Hi-lund Park |
Highlands |
1798 |
| Inchgower Distillery |
Inch-g-ow-er |
Speyside |
1871 |
| Invergordon Distillery |
Invergordon |
Highlands |
1961 |
| Isle of Arran Distillery |
Ar-ran |
Highlands |
1995 |
| Isle of Harris Distillery |
Isle of Harris |
Highlands |
2015 |
| Isle of Jura Distillery |
Eye-l of Joo-rah |
Highlands |
1810 |
| Kilchoman Distillery |
Kil-ho-man |
Islay |
2005 |
| Kingbarns Distillery |
Kingbarns |
Lowlands |
2014 |
| Kininvie Distillery |
Kin-in-vee-oo |
Speyside |
1990 |
| Knockando Distillery |
Knock-an-doo |
Speyside |
1898 |
| Knockdhu Distillery |
knock-doo/Acnoc |
Speyside |
1894 |
| Lagavulin Distillery |
Lah-gah-vool-in |
Islay |
1816 |
| Laphroaig Distillery |
Lah-froyg |
Islay |
1810 |
| Linkwood Distillery |
Link-wood |
Speyside |
1821 |
| Loch Lomond Distillery |
Lock Low-mund |
Highlands |
1965 |
| Longmorn Distillery |
Long-morn |
Speyside |
1894 |
| Macallan Distillery |
Muck-al-un |
Speyside |
1824 |
| Macduff Distillery |
Mack-duff |
Highlands |
1958 |
| Mannochmore Distillery |
Man-ock-mower |
Speyside |
1971 |
| Miltonduff Distillery |
Mill-ton-duff |
Speyside |
1824 |
| Mortlach Distillery |
Mort-lack |
Speyside |
1823 |
| North British Distillery |
North British |
Lowlands |
1885 |
| Oban Distillery |
Oa-bun |
Highlands |
1794 |
| Pulteney Distillery |
Old Pult-nay |
Highlands |
1826 |
| Roseisle Distillery |
Rose-eye-l |
Speyside |
2014 |
| Royal Brackla Distillery |
Royal Brack-lah |
Highlands |
1812 |
| Royal Lochnagar Distillery |
Royal Lock-nah-gar |
Highlands |
1845 |
| Scapa Distillery |
Ska-pa |
Highlands |
1885 |
| Speyburn Distillery |
Spay-bur-n |
Speyside |
1897 |
| Speyside Distillery |
Spay-side |
Speyside |
1976 |
| Springbank Distillery |
Spring-bank |
Campbeltown |
1828 |
| Starlaw Distillery |
Starlaw |
Lowlands |
2011 |
| Strathclyde Distillery |
Strath-klide |
Lowlands |
1927 |
| Strathearn Distillery |
Strath-earn |
Highlands |
2013 |
| Strathisla Distillery |
Strath-eye-lah |
Speyside |
1786 |
| Strathmill Distillery |
Strath-mill |
Speyside |
1891 |
| Talisker Distillery |
Tal-iss-kur |
Highlands |
1830 |
| Tamdhu Distillery |
Tam-doo |
Speyside |
1896 |
| Tamnavulin Distillery |
Tam-na-voo-lin |
Speyside |
1966 |
| Teaninich Distillery |
Teen-in-ick |
Highlands |
1817 |
| Tobermory Distillery |
Tow-bur-mower-ay |
Highlands |
1798 |
| Tomatin Distillery |
Tow-mat-in |
Highlands |
1897 |
| Tomintoul Distillery |
Tom-in-towel |
Speyside |
1964 |
| Tormore Distillery |
Tor-mower |
Speyside |
1958 |
| Tullibardine Distillery |
Tully-bard-in |
Highlands |
1947 |
| Wolfburn Distillery |
Wolfburn |
Highlands |
2013 |