Pronunciation Guide
Learn how to correctly pronounce the names of Scottish and Irish whisky distilleries — and discover the meaning behind each name.
"la-ga-VOO-lin"
Meaning: The hollow by the mill
Founded: 1816
Iconic Islay distillery known for rich, smoky, intensely peated single malt. A favourite of Ron Swanson.
"la-FROYG"
Meaning: The beautiful hollow by the broad bay
Founded: 1815
One of the most polarising whiskies — heavily peated with medicinal, maritime notes. Royal Warrant holder.
"ARD-beg"
Meaning: Small headland / little hill
Founded: 1815
The peatiest of the Islay classics, with a devoted global following. Known for complex, smoky character.
"bo-MOR"
Meaning: Great reef / great sea-rock
Founded: 1779
Islay's oldest distillery and one of the oldest in Scotland. Balanced peat with floral sweetness.
"brook-LAD-ee"
Meaning: Bank on the shore
Founded: 1881
Progressive Islay distillery known for unpeated, terroir-driven whisky — and the ultra-peated Octomore.
"cull-EE-la"
Meaning: The Sound of Islay (strait between Islay and Jura)
Founded: 1846
The largest distillery on Islay, producing light, elegant peated malt. A hidden gem.
"BOO-na-HAH-ven"
Meaning: Mouth of the river
Founded: 1881
The mildest Islay malt — unpeated, nutty and maritime. Located at a remote river mouth.
"kil-HO-man"
Meaning: Church of St. Coman
Founded: 2005
The youngest farm distillery on Islay, founded in 2005. Grows its own barley.
"TAL-is-ker"
Meaning: Sloping rock (from Norse)
Founded: 1830
The only distillery on Skye, producing bold, peppery maritime whisky.
"HY-land park"
Meaning: Named after High Park area in Kirkwall, Orkney
Founded: 1798
Orkney distillery combining heather-smoke peat with sherry cask richness. One of the world's most awarded.
"TOH-ber-mor-ee"
Meaning: Mary's well (from Gaelic Tobar Mhoire)
Founded: 1798
Mull's only distillery, producing unpeated Tobermory and peated Ledaig expressions.
"LED-chig"
Meaning: Safe haven (Gaelic for Tobermory harbour)
Founded: 1798
The peated expression from Tobermory distillery on Mull. Oily, smoky, powerful.
"JOO-ra"
Meaning: Deer Island (from Norse djúr-ey)
Founded: 1810
Isle of Jura's sole distillery, producing a range from light Highland-style to heavily peated.
"TOR-a-vig"
Meaning: Place of the bay (Gaelic)
Founded: 2017
Skye's second distillery, opened in 2017. A new chapter in island whisky.
"glen-FID-ick"
Meaning: Valley of the Deer
Founded: 1887
The world's best-selling single malt. A pioneering distillery still family-owned.
"glen-LIV-et"
Meaning: Valley of the smooth-flowing one
Founded: 1824
One of the first licensed distilleries in Scotland, defining the elegant Speyside style.
"ma-KAL-an"
Meaning: From 'meall', meaning a gentle hill or knoll
Founded: 1824
Renowned for sherry-cask maturation and luxury positioning. One of the world's most valuable whiskies.
"bal-VEN-ee"
Meaning: Settlement of the town (Gaelic Baile Mhanaich)
Founded: 1892
Handcrafted single malt from the last distillery with its own floor maltings in Speyside.
"ab-er-LOUR"
Meaning: Mouth of the chattering burn
Founded: 1879
Rich, sherried Speyside malt. Particularly popular in France.
"kar-DOO"
Meaning: Black rock (Gaelic càrn dubh)
Founded: 1824
Founded by Helen Cumming, one of the few distilleries established by a woman. Key Johnnie Walker malt.
"MORT-lach"
Meaning: Big hill (Gaelic mòr tulach)
Founded: 1823
Dufftown's oldest distillery, famous for its unique 2.81 distillation process — 'The Beast of Dufftown'.
"kray-GELL-a-chee"
Meaning: Craggy rock (Gaelic creag eileachaidh)
Founded: 1891
Robust, sulphury Speyside malt. Uses oil-fired stills and worm tub condensers.
"glen-MOR-an-jee"
Meaning: Glen of tranquillity
Founded: 1843
Highland distillery with Scotland's tallest stills, producing elegant, fruity whisky.
"dal-MOR"
Meaning: The big meadow (Gaelic dal mòr)
Founded: 1839
Known for its stag emblem and luxurious sherry-matured expressions.
"OH-ban"
Meaning: Little bay (Gaelic ob = bay)
Founded: 1794
A small distillery in a coastal town — bridging Highland and Island styles.
"old PULL-tee-nee"
Meaning: Named after Sir William Pulteney, governor of the British Fisheries Society
Founded: 1826
The maritime malt from Wick, Scotland's most northerly mainland distillery.
"kly-NEELISH"
Meaning: Sloping garden (Gaelic claon lios)
Founded: 1819
Waxy, coastal Highland malt. A favourite among whisky connoisseurs.
"ben NEV-iss"
Meaning: Venomous mountain / mountain with its head in the clouds
Founded: 1825
One of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland, at the foot of Britain's highest peak.
"ed-ra-DOW-er"
Meaning: Between two rivers (Gaelic eadar dà dhobhar)
Founded: 1825
One of Scotland's smallest distilleries, producing handmade whisky in tiny batches.
"awk-en-TOSH-an"
Meaning: Corner of the field (Gaelic achadh an t-oisein)
Founded: 1823
Glasgow's malt — the only Scottish distillery to triple-distil every drop.
"glen-KIN-chee"
Meaning: Valley of the de Quincy family
Founded: 1837
The Edinburgh malt — a light, floral Lowland whisky from East Lothian.
"BLAD-noch"
Meaning: Named after the River Bladnoch — possibly 'flour-mill stream'
Founded: 1817
Scotland's most southerly distillery, revived and producing delicate Lowland malt.
"BUSH-millz"
Meaning: Named after the Bush River and its mills
Founded: 1608
The world's oldest licensed distillery (1608), producing smooth Irish whiskey.
"JAY-me-son"
Meaning: Named after founder John Jameson
Founded: 1780
Ireland's best-selling whiskey — smooth, triple-distilled, and globally iconic.
"RED-brest"
Meaning: Named after the robin, symbolising the pure pot still tradition
Founded: 1903
Ireland's finest pure pot still whiskey — rich, spicy, with exceptional depth.
"MID-le-ton"
Meaning: Named after the town of Midleton in County Cork
Founded: 1975
Home of Jameson, Redbreast and other premium Irish whiskeys.
"TULL-a-more dew"
Meaning: The big hill (Irish Tulach Mhór)
Founded: 1829
Smooth, approachable Irish whiskey — triple-distilled, triple-blended.
"kon-e-MAR-a"
Meaning: Named after the wild Connemara region of western Ireland
Founded: 1987
Ireland's only peated single malt — a unique bridge between Scottish and Irish traditions.