Scotch Malt Distillery - English Translations

  For this week’s article, a bit of fun. Today, there are a growing number of Single Malt distilleries in Scotland – over 130 at last count... Most of them with the exception of Scapa & Jura have Scottish Gaelic names. Have you ever wondered what their English translations are? Below is a glossary of some of your favourite distilleries, just in case you ever wondered. Some will take you by surprise… (We’ve added a little commentary where needed).

• Aberlour  - The mouth of the Chattering Burn. (You can hear voices in the stream running next to the distillery – we promise!).
• Allt a Bhainne - Burn of Milk. (Burn is a small stream – this is Scotland's starkest-looking distillery, but a great name and the whisky is good).
• Ardbeg -  Small Height. (You’d expect something better for all their cult worshippers!).
• Ardmore - Big Height.
• Arran - Place of Peaked.
• Auchentoshan - Corner of a Field. (You've got to wonder why marketing teams never make use of the English name?).
• Aultmore -  Big Stream.
• Balblair - The Farm on the Moor.
• Balmenach - The Middle Farm.
• Balvenie - Beathans Farm.
• Benrinnes - Promontory Mountain.
• Benromach - Shaggy Mountain. (Love it!).
• Benriach - Speckled Mountain.
• Blair Atholl  - Plain of the New Ireland.
• Bowmore - Big Hut. (Black Big Hut 40-year doesn’t really have the same ring to it!).
• Brackla - Speckled Hillslope.
• Brora - The Bridges River.
• Bruichladdich - Bank of the Shore.
• Bunnahabhain - Foot of the River.
• Caol Ila - Sound of Isla.
• Caperdonich - Secret Well. (Great name).
• Cardhu - Black Rock.
• Clynelish - Sloped Garden.
• Cragganmore - The Big Rock. (Translation makes sense).
• Craigellachie - Rock of the Stoney Place.
• Dailuaine - The Green Meadow.
• Dalmore - The Big Field.
• Dalwhinnie - The Meeting Place.
• Deanston - The Hill Fort.
• Edradour - Between Two Waters.
• Fettercairn - Wooded Slope.
• Glenallachie - The Valley of the Rocky Place.
• Glenburgie - Valley of the Fort.
• Glendullan - Valley of the Stone.
• Glendronach - Valley of the Blackberries (This would make a great independent bottling...).
• Glen Elgin - Valley of Little Ireland.
• Glenfarclas - Valley of the Green Grass. (Sounds great in both Gaelic & English).
• Glenfiddich - Valley of the Deer. (Another great name explained by their packaging).
• Glen Garioch - Valley of the Rough Ground.
• Glenglassaugh - Valley of the Grey Place. (Sounds great!).
• Glengoyne - Valley of the Wild Geese. (Evokes a great image).
• Glen Grant - Valley of the Grants. (Named after the founders).
• Glenlivet - Valley of the Smooth Flowing One. (Named after the River Livet - great name).
• Glenmorangie - Valley of the Big Meadows. (Paints a lovely picture).
• Glen Moray - Valley of the Sea Settlement.
• Glen Ord - Valley of the Rounded Hill.
• Glenrothes - Valley of the Rothes. (Named after the family which owned the land).
• Glen Scotia - Valley of the Scots. (Freedom!).
• Glenturret - Valley of the Little Dry Stream.
• Jura - Doriads Island. (Old Norse).
• Knockdhu - Black Hill.
• Lagavulin - Hollow by the Mill.
• Laphroaig - Hollow by the Big Bay.
• Ledaig - The Small Slope.
• Royal Lochnagar - Loch of the Laughter. (Great name).
• Longmorn - Morgan's Church.
• Macallan - Fillan's Plain. (Or Tellytubby Land as some refer to it...).
• Mannochmore - The Place of the Monks.
• Millburn - The Stream of the Mill.
• Miltonduff - Duff's Village. (Duff is someone’s name).
• Mortlach - Big Hill. (Is that it? Sounds better in Gaelic!).
• Oban - Little Bay.
• Scapa - Boat. (Old Norse language which is prevalent in the Orkneys / Shetlands).
• Spey - Thorn.
• Strathisla - Valley of the River Isla. (Certainly Scotland's most beautiful distillery).
• Talisker - Sloping Rock. (Makes sense when you think of the rugged landscape of the Isle of Skye).
• Tamdhu - Black Hill.
• Tamnavulin - Mill on the Hill.
• Teaninich - The House on the Moor.
• Tobermory - Mary's Well.
• Tomatin - Juniper Hill. (They should make gin!).
• Tomintoul - Little Hill of the Barn.
• Tormore - High Hill. (Arguably deserving of a better name, considering how great the whisky is and how stunningly beautiful the distillery is!).
• Tullibardine - Hill of Warning.Some great names there - Glendronach, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie & Aberlour are just some of the great English translations. Of course, there are several that simply sound much better in Gaelic!

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