The A to Z of Whisky Place-Names | Jacob King

The A to Z of Whisky Place-Names: Landscape, Language & Invention by Jacob King is a distinctive reference book for whisky lovers who want to know where the names on Scotch whisky bottles actually come from. Many distillery and brand names sound familiar, but their origin, meaning and pronunciation are often less obvious.

King covers place names associated with Scotch whisky, including distillery names and brand names. He looks at origin, history, spelling, pronunciation and original meaning, helping readers understand which names are historically rooted and which were later invented or adapted.

The book requires no prior linguistic or topographical knowledge. It does, however, offer a strong introduction to the languages that shaped Scotland and its place names: Gaelic, Scots, English, Norse and Pictish. This shows how landscape, language, migration and history all echo through the world of whisky.

Throughout the book, boxed sections provide additional information, including notes on Inver and Aber names and linguistic tautologies. The volume also includes references and an appendix pointing to a number of lost distilleries.

The A to Z of Whisky Place-Names is not a tasting guide, but a smart and original addition for lovers of Scotch whisky, Scotland, language history and distillery names. A compact book that gives many familiar whisky names a deeper meaning.

Book Details
Language: English
Format: Softcover
Pages: 176
Author: Jacob King
Barcode: 9781849955034
Weight: 0.42 kg
Subject: whisky place names, Scotch whisky, Gaelic, Scots, landscape, language history, distillery names