TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best British Rindless Cheese Types
This is not your regular Cheddar made across the world, but a unique one because of its maturity, distinctive full flavor, the source of milk and special methods of handmade production within the four Counties of Dorset, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.
It needs to mature for at least 9 months before it is sold, either in cylindrical shape or in blocks of variable sizes. Its flavor can be described as full, sharp and nutty, and it is firm and creamy yellow on the inside, with a crumbly texture. West Country Farmhouse Cheddar is best paired with grapes, pears, apples, figs, celery or ripe tomatoes.
This sharp cow's milk cheese is one of the most popular cheeses in the world today, and it was first produced in the village of Cheddar in Somerset county, England in the 12th century. Cheddar is a hard cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk, and it ranges from white to pale yellow in color.
When young, its texture is smooth, and when it is left to mature, the texture becomes more crumbly and it gets a sharper flavor. Joseph Harding—a cheesemaker often referred to as the "father of Cheddar"—said that the authentic Somerset Cheddar should have a close texture, a full, fine flavor reminiscent of hazelnuts, and a melt-in-the-mouth quality.
Pair with
THE BEST Cheddar Cheeses
Fiscalini Cheese Company
Bandage Wrap Cheddar
American Cheese Society Judging & Competition Awards - 1st Place 2012, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2003, 2002
This cheese has moderately intense acidic notes, while still remaining savory and nutty, with a clean aroma typical of Cheddar. Its texture is firm, smooth and closed, and the cheese is left to mature for 6 to 18 months, its flavor changing according to the maturation stage.
Medium cheddar has a slight savory flavor, mature cheddar has a slightly sharp, savory flavor, while extra mature cheddar has a brittle texture and a sharp, savory flavor and lactate crystals. Orkney cheddar is unique because of its production method called 'dry-stir', e.g. a method of constant stirring to stop the curd from bonding, giving it its unique texture.
Red Leicester (also known as Leicester) is a British cheddar-style cheese hailing from Leicestershire. This hard cheese is made from raw cow's milk. Underneath its cloth-wrapped rind, the texture is dense and crumbly. The aromas are rich, while the flavors are sweet, rich, and reminiscent of burnt caramel.
Back in the 17th century, farmers decided that the color of the cheese should show its creaminess and richness, so they started to color it with annatto, giving the cheese a reddish-orange color. Red Leicester usually matures from 6 to 9 months. It's recommended to pair it with full-bodied whites such as Muscadet and Vouvray.
Pair with
THE BEST Red Leicester Cheeses
Often referred to as Northern Ireland's favorite cheese, Coleraine Cheddar is a pasteurized, hard cheese with a creamy taste, made from cow's milk. Depending on the variety of cheese, it ages from 3 to 4 months in Portadown, County Armagh.
Some of the varieties include Mature White Cheddar, Medium Cheddar, Mild White Cheddar, and Royal Canadian Mature Cheddar.
Sussex Slipcote is an English cheese hailing from Horsted Keynes, West Sussex. This fresh cheese is made from sheep's milk, and it's often flavored with peppercorns, garlic, or aromatic herbs. The ripening period usually lasts for 10 days.
The texture is soft, moist, and almost mousse-like. The aromas are clean and fresh, while the flavors are lemony and tangy with sweet notes. The name of this cheese is derived from an old English word meaning a little (slip) piece of cottage (cote) cheese.
Coastal Cheddar is an English cheese hailing from Dorset. The cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and it's aged for 15 months. This rindless Cheddar has a crumbly and crunchy texture, a result of the calcium lactate crystals that occur during the maturation period.
The aroma is nutty, while the flavors are sweet. It's recommended to pair Coastal Cheddar with local ciders.
Vulscombe is an English cheese hailing from Tiverton. This rindless cheese is made from pasteurized goat's milk. The texture is soft and creamy, the aromas are goaty, rich, and herbaceous, while the flavors are mild, herbaceous, and slightly spicy.
Besides the plain version, Vulscombe also comes in a few versions flavored with herbs and garlic, black peppercorns, or herbs and sun-dried tomatoes. The herbs are freshly picked from the garden of Graham and Jo Townsend, the cheesemakers.
Pantysgawn is a Welsh cheese made from pasteurized goat's milk. It has a creamy texture and a salty, herbal, and slightly sour flavor. The cheese is white in color and does not have a rind. Apart from the plain variety, pantysgawn is sometimes sold rolled in mixed herbs or black peppercorns.
It is often used in salads, consumed as a snack, or grilled.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 9 British Rindless Cheeses” list until February 28, 2025, 1,018 ratings were recorded, of which 846 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.