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The Dalmore is a classic name in Scotch — located way up in north Scotland, just past Inverness and the Highlands — but one that has received little credit here in the colonies over the past decade or so. With a change from Jim Beam to a new marketing company, and an alliance with big daddy Southern Wine and Spirits for distribution, The Dalmore is trying to change its image here in the States.

Which is why I found fully-kilted Richard Patterson — Master Blender of The Dalmore’s parent company Whyte & Mackay — in my office, pouring much of The Dalmore’s line. Although most Scotch distilleries try to maintain a “house style” that’s consistent through the years and across different varieties, this was different. Each pour opened up a whole new range of textures and flavors, with a few subtle notes tying the line together.

Here’s the rundown:

The Dalmore 12-Year Old: After ten years in typical American oak barrels, Patterson takes some of the whiskey for a two year stay in Oloroso Sherry casks. That provides a noticeable note of oxidized fruit and citrus peels that blends with the rich vanilla from the American oak. It’s a medium-weight whiskey, with enough power to keep up with the Sherry cask complexity.

The Dalmore Gran Reserva: Aged between 10-15 years, and with more of the whiskey spending time in Sherry casks, you’d think the Gran Reserva would taste very similar to the 12-year old. Not so. There’s still the hint of citrus and vanilla, but it feels vastly lighter and more elegant in the mouth. Blind taste this with the 12 and you’d likely peg them as different distilleries. Patterson encourages me to think of coffee and cigars, his brogue veering into tangents, although I do catch the phrase “multiple orgasms of flavor.” It’s good, but maybe not that good.

The Dalmore 15-Year Old: Yet again, this Scotch is related to the previous two, but more like a cousin than a brother. Much deeper than either the 12 or the Gran Reserva, The Dalmore’s 15 seems more linked to serious Highland malt whiskeys, intense and elegant with just enough complexity to refresh your mouth for another shot of rich spirit. In this, the trademark Dalmore citrus is more like candied orange or grapefruit peel, with a hint of bitterness tempered by honey. Its a gorgeous whiskey, an all-around package that shows The Dalmore’s potential.

The Dalmore 1263 King Alexander III: There’s a story to the name, but I’m too busy trying to separate out the mass of flavors invading my mouth with the first sip of the King to pay any attention to Patterson’s patter. This whiskey is matured in no less than seven different woods: American oak, Sherry casks, Marsala barrels, Madeira drums, Port pipes, bourbon barrels and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. And, instead of meshing into a coherent and complex whole, the King is a riot of different flavors, from the moment it hits your tongue to three minutes after you swallow. Its a beautiful chaos.

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