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 |