5 rare and unpronouncable Scotches you need to try

Scotch whisky makes drinkers' heads spin. But, there are some Scotch whiskies in the world whose names are difficult to pronounce. In this article, five Scotch whiskies from around the world are making new adventures not only for their taste but also for their names. These can be seen not only in Scotland's whisky tradition, but also in its rich linguistic tradition.

Although you can read it as Bruichladdich, it is pronounced bru-kla-dee. This is a Scotch whisky from a Remy Cointreau-owned distillery on the west coast of Islay's Loch Indaal. Started in 1881, this distillery's Bruichladdich is known for its mild, floral and honey whiskies. The price of one bottle is 40 thousand rupees. Bruichladdich updated its 21-year-old bottle with new packaging and branding launched in February 2024. Bruichladdich Thirty was also unveiled.

Although we can read this as Bunnahabhain, its pronunciation is Bu-Nah-Hav-En. The price of one bottle is 2.60 lakh rupees. The Islay distillery is located on the northeast coast of the island. Like Bruichladdich, it was established in 1881 amidst the Victorian whisky revolution. The distillery previously produced peated single malts. Since the 1960s, Bunnahabhain has been producing predominantly unpeated whisky aged in sherry casks. Only 594 bottles have been sold so far.

Although we can say Glen Garioch, the correct pronunciation is Glen-Geery. The distillery takes its name from the nearby valley of Garioch, one of Scotland's finest barley-growing regions. Many distilleries in Scotland have the prefix 'Glen'. 'Glen' means 'valley' in Scots Gaelic. Glen Garioch in Oldmeldrum, Scottish Highlands, was founded in 1797 by Thomas Simpson. It is one of Scotland's oldest operating distilleries. The price of a single bottle is 2.87 lakh rupees.

Although we can call it Auchentoshan, its pronunciation is 'Ock-Un-Tosh-Un'. It is a Lowland distillery located at the mouth of the River Clyde, north of Glasgow. 'Hard to pronounce, easy to drink..' says the company itself. The distillery takes its name from the Scottish Gaelic phrase 'Achad an Oisinn' which means 'corner of the field' in English. Founded in 1817 by John Bulloch, Auchentoshan is famous for being the only whisky distillery in Scotland to exclusively use triple distillation. All production is used for single malts. The price of a single bottle is 55 thousand rupees.

Even if you pronounce it as Caol Ila, the correct pronunciation is Cull-Ee-Lah. The price of a single bottle is 59 thousand rupees. Caol Ila is the Scottish Gaelic name for the Sound of Islay, the stretch of water that separates Islay from the Isle of Jura. This distillery is located north of Port Askaig, south of Bunnahabhain.