Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

FERINTOSH, n. Also Ferrintosh, Ferntosh, Fairntosh, Farintosh, Ferryntosh. A kind of whisky formerly distilled in the village of Ferintosh on the Cromarty Firth near Dingwall. The distillery belonged to Forbes of Culloden and the whisky was exempted from duty from 1695–1785 as reparation for damages suffered by the estate at the hands of the Jacobites in 1689. It was characterised by its strong peat-smoke flavour. Often used of whisky generally. Hist.Sc. 1751 in H. Tayler Jacobite Epilogue (1941) 189:
Your Mama and freinds here . . . when they meet remember you and other freinds there, in a Glass of good Ferryntosh.Ayr. 1786 Burns Scotch Drink xix.:
Thee Ferintosh! O sadly lost! Scotland lament frae coast to coast!Slk. 1820 Hogg Winter Ev. Tales I. 81:
I . . . handed him a queich filled with good Ferintosh.Edb. 1828 D. M. Moir Mansie Wauch (1839) vi.:
To say nothing of a bottle, or maybe two, of real peat-reek Farintosh, small-still Hieland whisky.Arg. 1914 N. Munro New Road xvii.:
As if they were relieved at her departure when the serious ritual of wine and Ferintosh came on.Sc. 1948 Scots Mag. (Dec.) 164:
“Scotch” as a synonym for whisky is a comparative newcomer to the vocabulary of commerce. For many years the drink was “Ferintosh,” after the distillery owned by Duncan Forbes of Culloden.