Join us on Saturday for a trip to England at the holidays. From a beautiful persimmon-colored whiskey-laced Cheddar to a classic blue Stilton to a soft lemony Cheddar, we have three festive and elegant cheeses for your holiday entertaining.

Colston Bassett Stilton

Stilton was first served almost 300 years ago at the Bell Inn in Stilton, and it became wildly popular almost immediately. At Tastings, we’re pleased to offer Stilton from Colston Bassett, the best there is. The cheese has won many coveted awards in the past year alone, and it is a favorite of blue cheese lovers around the world. Colston Bassett has been making Stilton for about 100 years and has only had four cheesemakers during that time — a testimony to the expertise and dedication to ensuring the finest Stilton around. What makes it unusual is that it is one of few remaining hand-ladled Stiltons, which produces an intensely rich and creamy cheese. It is a well-balanced blue with a sweet buttery flavor.

Origin: Nottinghamshire, England
Producer: Colston Bassett
Milk: Pasteurized cow
Rennet Type: Animal
Age: 12-18 weeks
Rind: Natural
Look: Firm. The wrinkled rind is orange-brown in color, speckled with white patches. The interior is straw-colored (it darkens toward the rind) with blue veins emanating from the center.
Feel: Buttery texture, fudgey, crumbly
Smell: Earthy, musty
Taste: Sweet and buttery; clean, mineral tang, flavors of lush, grassy milk. When young, it tends to be slightly tangy, but this disappears as the cheese matures.
Tastes good with: Fresh pears,apples, baguette, fig jam
Pairs well with: Tawny Port

Wensleydale Lemon Curd and Honey

A fresh, young cheese aged only three weeks, it is made from milk drawn from cows grazing the sweet limestone pastures of farms in Upper Wensleydale in the U.K. The limestone provides the cheese a unique flavor and a superb texture. A mild, yet rich and creamy flavor is the hallmark of the cheese. You can eat this cheese alone, but try pairing it with a crisp apple for a simple, refreshing treat. If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll enjoy this cheese with an apple pie or fruit cake as the sour-tinged cheese interacts beautifully with the sweetness of the pie or cake.  It will remind you of lemon cheesecake!

Origin: North Yorkshire, England
Producer: Wensleydale Creamery
Milk: Pasteurized cow
Rennet Type: Animal
Age: 3 weeks
Rind: None
Look: Yellow wax; white
Feel: Semi-firm
Smell: Sweet, citrusy
Taste: Clean, mild, slightly sweet flavor with a honeyed aftertaste. Candied lemons.
Tastes good with: Fruit, fruitcake (a Christmas cake is traditionally served in England), apple pie, wheat fingers
Pairs well with: Port, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay

Amber Mist

Bright and sophisticated, Amber Mist is truly a cheese for grown-ups. Another award winner from Snowdonia Cheese Company in Wales, Amber Mist is a smooth, crumbly Cheddar with a hint of warmth that comes from a dousing of whiskey. The persimmon-colored wax encases a mouthwatering mature Cheddar with the smoky tones of a peaty Scotch whisky. The cheese has a fragrant aroma and the flavor of the cheese with the whiskey is well-balanced and not overwhelming. A delightful cheese for a delightful evening with friends!

Origin: Wales
Producer: Snowdonia Cheese Company
Milk: Pasteurized cow
Rennet type: Vegetarian
Rind: None. Covered with orange wax
Age: 9-12 months
Look: Small, barrel-shaped; yellow paste
Feel: Hard
Smell: Fragrant
Taste: Creamy, strong, salty
Tastes good with: Savory crackers, caramelized onion marmalade or chutney
Pairs well with: Malt whiskey

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