A Guide To Gaelic Names For Distilleries
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Unpublished legacy migration draft. The source copy below is for editorial review only. It must not be published until the checklist is complete. Historic links and images have been removed.
Source: https://uisgebeatha.co.uk/a-guide-to-gaelic-names-for-distilleries/ (retrieved 2026-10-23T14:11:13+00:00).
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Legacy source copy
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