distillery: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to formal; common in business/industry, historical, and tourism contexts.
Quick answer
What does “distillery” mean?
A factory or facility where alcoholic spirits (e.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A factory or facility where alcoholic spirits (e.g., whisky, gin, vodka) are produced by distillation.
Any facility or apparatus for distilling liquids, though this use is rare and technical; the term is almost exclusively associated with alcohol production.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant meaning difference. Both use the term primarily for alcohol production. The spirits produced are often region-specific (e.g., Scotch whisky distillery in UK, bourbon distillery in US).
Connotations
In the UK, strongly associated with Scotch whisky in Scotland and Irish whiskey in Northern Ireland, carrying connotations of tradition and tourism. In the US, associated with bourbon (Kentucky), rye whiskey, and craft spirits.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK/Irish English due to the global prominence of Scotch and Irish whiskey industries, but equally standard in American English.
Grammar
How to Use “distillery” in a Sentence
The distillery produces [whisky].They built a distillery in [Kentucky].A tour of the distillery is available.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “distillery” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The company plans to distillery in the Scottish Highlands. (INCORRECT - 'distillery' is not a verb.)
- The process to distil the spirit takes time. (CORRECT verb form)
American English
- They want to distillery bourbon in Tennessee. (INCORRECT)
- They distill the mash in copper pot stills. (CORRECT verb form)
adverb
British English
- The spirit was made distillery. (NONSENSE - no adverb form)
- The spirit was distilled locally.
American English
- It was a distillery crafted gin. (INCORRECT)
- It was a carefully distilled gin.
adjective
British English
- The distillery process is fascinating. (INCORRECT - use 'distilling' or 'distillation')
- The distilling process is fascinating.
American English
- We bought distillery equipment. (WEAK - prefer 'distilling equipment')
- We bought distilling equipment.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The distillery reported a 15% increase in export sales last quarter.
Academic
The economic impact of the whisky distillery on the rural community was the subject of the study.
Everyday
We went on a tour of the local gin distillery last weekend.
Technical
The distillery's column stills allow for continuous distillation of neutral grain spirit.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “distillery”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “distillery”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “distillery”
- Using 'distillery' for a place that brews beer (use 'brewery').
- Misspelling as 'distilery' or 'distillary'.
- Using with non-alcoholic contexts (e.g., 'water distillery' is highly unusual).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A brewery produces beer through fermentation. A distillery produces stronger spirits (whisky, gin, etc.) through fermentation followed by distillation, which concentrates the alcohol.
No, not in standard modern English. While the process of distillation is used in perfume making, the facility is called a 'perfumery' or a 'laboratory'. 'Distillery' is almost exclusively for alcohol.
Yes. You can have one distillery or many distilleries.
A small-scale, often independent distillery emphasizing traditional methods, quality, and unique flavours, similar to a microbrewery in the beer world.
A factory or facility where alcoholic spirits (e.
Distillery is usually neutral to formal; common in business/industry, historical, and tourism contexts. in register.
Distillery: in British English it is pronounced /dɪˈstɪləri/, and in American English it is pronounced /dɪˈstɪləri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated. Related: 'moonshine' (illegally distilled alcohol).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: A distillery is where they DISTIL (purify a liquid by heating and cooling) spirits. It's a FACTORY for spirits.
Conceptual Metaphor
A DISTILLERY IS A FACTORY / A DISTILLERY IS A HERITAGE SITE.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary product of a distillery?