Cheese Experts Tell Us Which British Cheeses You Have To Try

Britain might not be your first destination for artisan cheese, and frankly, that's a shame. The British Isles don't just have a rich history of cheesemaking; they're also home to some of the most daring cheesemakers crafting new creations. "The British cheese scene is fire!" says Tenaya Darlington aka Madame Fromage. As for why this surge is happening right now, she's got a couple of theories. "The Brits love their dairy, and I wonder if their golden moment as part of the EU didn't make them excited about joining an expansive world of PDO cheeses!" she muses, noting that the country is also home to a lot of great small cheese shops, which, she says, "is essentially a marketing arm for small makers."

"Great cheesemongers at great cheese shops inspire great cheesemakers — that's my take anyway," she says. One such shop is Neal's Yard Dairy, where director Sarah Stewart claims the U.K. has capitalized on a less robust cheese history than neighboring France. "Perhaps a consequence of that is that it allows for more creativity," she says. "Just because you are in Somerset, it doesn't mean you will make Cheddar."

Both Darlington and Stewart note that the cheesemaking scene in Britain is particularly welcoming, with highly respected makers like Jamie Montgomery of Montgomery's Cheddar, a "legend," for Darlington, still taking the time to mentor new makers. "That's the beauty of the artisan cheese community," she says. From time-tested territorials to innovative newcomers, here are the kinds of cheese you have to try.

If you're on the lookout for one of the British cheese scene's calling cards, you should undoubtedly check out Stilton, a cow's milk blue cheese produced in Leicestershire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire. Boasting a rich, intense flavor and a lovely, balancing creaminess, Stilton a powerful cheese, though less so than French Roquefort, and is particularly tasty served alongside a glass of port.

For Tenaya Darlington, Stilton is beloved both within and outside of the U.K., particularly "among the blue cheese set." Sarah Stewart adds that if it's so well-known — one of the two best-known British cheeses around the world, in her opinion, — it's in part to its Protected Designation of Origin status, which means that, much like sparkling wine can only be dubbed Champagne if it comes from that region of France, Stilton "can only be made here," she says. But despite this protection, she cautions, not all Stiltons are created alike. "The Colston Bassett Stilton that we buy is very different from a Stilton that you might buy elsewhere," she says. This creation from a dairy in Nottinghamshire is sweeter and more balanced than most. Darlington agrees, noting that Colston Bassett Stilton is one of her all-time favorites.

Stichelton may look a lot like Stilton at first glance, and while this cheese is indeed based upon the same recipe used to make Britain's most famous blue, there's one major difference between the two. While Stilton's PDO requires it be made with pasteurized milk, Stichelton is made exclusively with raw milk, which experts say lends even more flavor, nuance, and intensity to cheeses like this one.

Stichelton was first pioneered by cheesemaker Joe Schneider 2006 and, given its adherence to tradition, is named after an earlier form of the village of Stilton.  The cheese is known for its intensely creamy texture and subtle, spicy aroma which makes it a favorite among many turophiles, including the late, great Anthony Bourdain. In fact, according to Tenaya Darlington, it's thanks in large part to Bourdain that the cheese has since become so popular. "Bourdain said it was his favorite cheese," she says, noting that it's one of her personal all-time faves, as well.

Stilton's little-known little brother, Beauvale is a slighlty different style of blue cheese well worth a second look. Unlike crumbly Stilton, Beauvale boasts a soft, spreadable texture and a slightly more mellow flavor with a touch of pepperiness, perfect for fans of gorgonzola looking for an English cheese to scratch the itch. It's made by Cropwell Bishop Creamery in Nottinghamshire, a creamery rich in three generations of family know-how — especially in Stilton production. Beauvale is a relatively new invention, created by this generation of the Skailes family who owns and runs the creamery.

Beauvale might not have the name recognition of Stilton, but those in the know known not to overlook it. Rich, indulgent Beauvale has received several awards, including being recognized as Best Blue Cheese at the 2017 British Cheese Awards. It's certainly coming up in the world, and it wouldn't be surprising if it soon became a household name.

Cheddar is "undoubtedly" the most popular British cheese, according to Tenaya Darlington, and Sarah Stewart agrees, putting it up there with Stilton as one of the U.K.'s top two. But just like Stilton, not all cheddars are created alike. Cheddar originally refers to a specific town in Somerset, where cheddar is traditionally made. But devoid of a PDO protecting its name, cheddar is "made everywhere in the world." And in some cases, that means the quality suffers.

In the U.K. specifically, some cheddars stand out, according to Stewart. "What is different about the Cheddars that we buy, such as Montgomery's Cheddar, Westcombe Cheddar or Hafod from Wales, is that they use bulk starters and involve a process called cheddaring (cutting the curd into blocks, laying these blocks on top of each other and turning regularly)." Many traditional cheddars are also "cloth-bound," a technique that sees them banded in muslin coated in lard. This helps the cheese to develop its natural rind. Darlington cites Isle of Mull Cheddar, from Scotland's Inner Hebrides, as one of her "all-time favorites," while Stewart admits a particular love for Welsh Hafod, an unpasteurized, organic cheddar-style cheese with an earthy, complex flavor and just the right amount of sharpness.

Wensleydale is a member of a category known as British Territorial Cheese, or "territorials," for short. This category unites the farmhouse cheeses long made by women in the rural U.K., and aside from cheddar, Yorkshire's Wensleydale may well be one of the most famous. This, according to Tenaya Darlington, is thanks in large part to "Wallace and Gromit," whose titular Wallace proclaimed the cheese its favorite — and renewed enough interest in it in the '90s to bring production back from the brink. But its time in the limelight isn't the only reason Wensleydale is so beloved; its creamy, crumbly texture may have something to do with it, too. "I love Wensleydale," says Darlington, "so I'm always happy when people remember it."

Sarah Stewart says that if Wensleydale and other territorials are lesser known, it's largely due to their production methods. "Some of the British cheeses don't scale as well as others," she says. "Territorial cheeses such as Cheshire, Lancashire, Wensleydale, when they are made well, are totally underrated." Her favorite Wensleydales are buttery Yoredale from Wensley and herbaceous Stonebeck from Nidderdale.

Yet another territorial, Double Gloucester stands out thanks to its distinctive orange color, which comes from the addition of annatto, a seed whose colorful properties are also behind any orange cheddar you might encounter. Double Gloucester is a Gloucestershire native, made with rich Gloucester cow's milk since the 16th century. It stands out from its cousin, Single Gloucester, in that it's made with cream from the previous night's milking combined with the morning's milk, making Double richer and creamier than Single. The cheese's buttery texture and tangy flavor makes it a sure favorite, especially among vegetarians, seeing as it's made with vegetarian rennet.

But perhaps Double Gloucester's biggest claim to fame isn't its flavor — it's its speed. Double Gloucester is typically the cheese used for the Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake, a two-centuries-old tradition that involves chasing a piece of Double Gloucester down a hill. While it might sound charming, cheese rolling can actually be quite brutal and dangerous, with common injuries including pulled muscles, sprains, broken bones, and even concussions. Things aren't helped by the fact that the hill is watered before the contest begins to make it even more challenging. Multiple attempts have been made to ban the event entirely, though for now it keeps rolling merrily along.

Cheshire cheese isn't just another territorial — it's the territorial to end all territorials, the oldest cheese made in Britain. A bit drier than cheddar and just as crumbly, Cheshire cheese stands out thanks to its rustic yet mild, buttery flavor laced with a distinctive saltiness that stems from the underlying layer of bedrock salt in the Cheshire basin area.

Experts agree that the very best Cheshire cheese comes from Appleby's, a dairy in Stropshire that's been producing award-winning cheeses since 1952. "A Cheshire hand-made at Appleby's Dairy is very different to a factory-made Cheshire," says Sarah Stewart. Tenaya Darlington agrees, going so far as to dub Cheshire "the most underrated" of British cheeses. "It's a clothbound cheese, rustic and snackable," she says of the iteration of the cheese made by Appleby's. "I've been on a few British Cheese Odysseys with Cheese Journeys, and I always look forward to eating Appelby's Cheshire with toast and tea."

Caerphilly also falls into the territorial category, though unlike many others on this list, this cheese hails, not from England, but rather from Wales. Caerphilly is Wales' only native, traditional cheese, but it's more than delicious enough to make up for its lack of siblings. Boasting a slightly chalky, slightly creamy texture and a mild, lemony flavor, Caerphilly can be eaten from just 10 days of age and up to six months. With time, it develops a slight creamline between the center and the rind, suffusing it with even more flavor.

Welshmen are loath to admit that one of the foremost producers of the traditional cheese is actually working over the border in Suffolk. Gorwydd Caerphilly from Trethowan Brothers is regularly recognized as one of the best, even earning a Best British Cheese nod at the 2021 World Cheese Awards. It's particularly beloved for the a creamy, mushroomy layer that forms between the dense center and the rind.

Wales is known for sheep, so it seems only right that the country should boast its very own sheep's cheese. Brefu Bach is a newer invention from Carrie Rimes in North Wales. This small, soft sheep's cheese was inspired by a recipe Rimes mastered while working on a dairy farm in France's Auvergne.

Brefu Bach, which means little bleat, is a creamy cheese with a mild, cream-forward flavor and a light, fluffy texture. As it ages, it takes on a denser texture and funkier flavors, nevertheless always retaining the lovely creaminess sheep's milk cheeses are known for. Indeed, sheep's milk is actually the milk type that's richest in butterfat — nearly twice as much as cow's milk. As a result, these cheeses often have a rich texture and luxurious mouthfeel, as is the case for Rimes' creation. A touch of delicate sweetness — and a reliance on vegetarian rennet — makes Brefu Bach a surefire crowd pleaser.

Fans of French Brie would do well to give Fen Farm's Baron Bigod a try: This Brie-style cheese from Suffolk could easily, according to Sarah Stewart, be mistaken for a Brie de Meaux, one of France's most beloved cheeses. And unlike its French cousin, Baron Bigod is made with pasteurized milk — which in the case of American cheese fans is actually a good thing. FDA regulations preclude raw milk cheeses aged fewer than two months from being sold. As a result, true raw milk French Brie is verboten. Not so for Baron Bigod, whose its briny flavor and oozy texture is within reach of Bostonians, New Yorkers, and Philadelphians — for now.

But Baron Bigod isn't just a stand-in for Brie de Meaux. Tenaya Darlington dubs this gooey marvel "just exquisite," noting that Fen Farm's Bungay Butter, the U.K.'s only raw, farmhouse butter made using a lactic culture, is just as delicious.

Another British creation crafted in the image of a French fromage masterpiece is Rollright, a cheese Tenaya Darlington is "crazy about." "It's a bark-wrapped cheese in the style of Vacherin, and it's just bonkers good!" she says. Vacherin and Mont d'Or are traditional cheeses made in Switzerland and France, respectively. Made according to similar recipes, the cheeses are lightly washed for a slightly brothy aroma and encased in a strip of spruce bark before being aged on planks of the same wood.

The resulting cheese takes on an understandably woodsy aroma, something Rollright, which capitalizes on the same techniques, shares. Rollright is known for a soft, glossy texture and a milky, buttery, woodsy aroma with slight resinous notes. It's made in both large and small formats, with the smaller one being perfect for baking and serving with charcuterie, in French tradition — a technique that will only highlight the cheese's bacon vibes.

Cornish Yarg is as beautiful as it is delicious. This cheese made from rich, grass-fed Cornish cow's milk is wrapped in a layer of local, hand-picked green nettle leaves, which help it maintain a lovely moisture content. With a slightly crumbly texture and a tangy flavor reminiscent of fresh lemons beneath the slightly earthy rind, a perfectly aged Cornish Yarg also develops a lovely breakdown between the exterior and the paste, redolent with pure butter flavors. It's a true delicacy worth seeking out.

And to think this cheese was almost lost to time! This cheese dates back to the 17th century, but it had been forgotten for decades before Alan Gray stumbled upon the recipe in his attic and decided to recreate it. The resulting cheese's name comes from Gray's surname spelled backwards — an homage to maintained by Catherine Mead and her team at Lynher Dairies, who continue to produce the cheese today.

Known as the "smelliest cheese in Britain," Stinking Bishop is a washed-rind delicacy with the category's signature stinky aroma. Much like French Epoisses, Stinking Bishop is washed in alcohol — in this case, perry, a type of pear cider — which contributes to the development of Brevibacterium linens — the exact same bacteria you'll find on your dirty socks, thus the smell.

But don't let this cheese's intense aroma put you off; as with many other members of the washed-rind category, Stinking Bishop's bark is way worse than its bite. Beneath the rind, it's smooth, creamy, and almost mousse-like in texture, with a buttery and almost sweet flavor. Its brothy, umami notes are likely what made the monks that mastered the art of washed-rind cheeses so enchanted by them: Given the preclusions against eating meat on lean days, medieval friars were glad to have something this meaty to gorge themselves on even when meat wasn't allowed. And these days, those flavors make it totally moreish.

If you need any more evidence of the daring that defines the modern British cheesescape, look no further than Kappacasein and its Bermondsey Hard Pressed. This seasonal cheese is modeled after l'Etivaz, made only in summer. But unlike the Swiss hard-pressed cheese that inspired it, Bermondsey is made beneath a railway arch in London.

Of course, there are few cows in the vicinity, but that's not a problem. The team, explains Sarah Stewart, "have an amazing milk supplier and transport it back to Bermondsey to make cheese with. They are showing that you don't have to be a landowning dairy farmer to make high-quality cheese." Inventor Bill Oglethorpe developed the recipe for Bermondsey Hard Pressed after working in L'Etivaz, and he even uses a 100-year-old copper vat he brought from Switzerland to produce it. The low, constant temperatures of the arch are perfect for maturing the cheese for between 12 and 18 months, giving it loads of nutty flavor.