How to find the best Gruyere cheese

Le Guyère AOP is one of the world’s most famous cheeses. But its fame is a double-edged sword – people often feel like they know it well and as a result forget to pay attention to the detail. And the devil is definitely in the detail here.

You can buy this famous cheese in supermarkets today. And I’m sure we all have. But do you remember that feeling when you get “Strength 5” Gruyère out of a supermarket, you get your teeth into it… and that taste leaves you utterly disappointed? There are a few reasons for that. The most complex, intense and lingering wheels not only tick all the legally prescribed criteria, but they also tick either a combination or all of the following boxes:

• They are made from summer milk when the cows graze high in the Alps and indulge on the most luscious and flavoursome alpine flora.
• They are matured in excess of 12 months. The more mature the wheels are, the more intense and complex the flavour will be.
• They are not sold in vacuum-packs. Vacuum-packing small wedges of any cheese sucks the life out of it, negatively affecting both flavour and texture. So if you’re looking for a complex cheese you will not find it in a vac-pack.

I hope the tips above help you to rediscover the ageless classic that is Le Gruyère AOP and you’ll enjoy it for many years to come.

Are you looking to try some proper Gruyere? We stock Le Guyère Reserve AOP that may be purchased from our online store and delivered to your address in the UK.