The curds.uk Featured Selection
Every cheese on this page has been selected for excellence — outstanding flavour, expert craftsmanship, and a story worth telling. These are the cheeses that define British cheesemaking at its finest.
Stichelton
Style: Blue | Milk: Raw cow's (Friesian-Holstein) | Region: Nottinghamshire
Maker: Joe Schneider, Collingthwaite Farm
Stichelton is the cheese that Stilton used to be. Made using raw, unpasteurised milk and traditional animal rennet — ingredients that the current Stilton PDO rules prohibit — Stichelton is what many consider the ultimate British blue.
The name comes from the original medieval spelling of Stilton village. The texture is creamier and more complex than modern Stilton, with a long, buttery finish and deeply savoury blue veining. Each wheel is individually tended over months.
- Taste notes: Rich butter, toasted hazelnuts, gentle mineral tang, long earthy finish
- Pairing: Vintage port, Sauternes, oatcakes with quince paste
- Where to buy: Neal's Yard Dairy, The Courtyard Dairy and specialist cheesemongers
Montgomery's Cheddar
Style: Hard, cloth-bound | Milk: Raw cow's (Friesian) | Region: Somerset
Maker: Jamie Montgomery, Manor Farm, North Cadbury
Often cited as the finest Cheddar in the world, Montgomery's is everything industrial Cheddar is not. Made from raw milk using traditional pint starters (unique bacterial cultures maintained at the farm), hand-milled, cloth-bound, and aged for 12-18 months in the farm's own stores.
The flavour is extraordinarily deep — a baseline of sharp Cheddar overlaid with brothy, umami complexity, crystals of tyrosine amino acid, and a lingering warmth.
- Taste notes: Sharp tang, deep savoury umami, toasted nuts, crystalline crunch
- Pairing: Full-bodied red wine, real ale, crusty bread
- Where to buy: Neal's Yard Dairy, direct from farmshops, select Waitrose
Tunworth
Style: Soft, bloomy rind | Milk: Pasteurised cow's | Region: Hampshire
Maker: Stacey Hedges and Charlotte Spruce, Hampshire Cheeses
Tunworth is Britain's answer to Camembert — and many say it surpasses it. A small, wrinkly-rinded disc that, when perfectly ripe, collapses into a pool of complex, mushroomy cream when cut.
Winner of multiple international awards, Tunworth has replaced French Camembert at the table of many serious cheese enthusiasts. It's the cheese that proved British soft cheese could compete with the best in the world.
- Taste notes: Earthy mushroom, cultured cream, garlic, truffle-like depth
- Pairing: Champagne or English sparkling wine, sourdough
- Where to buy: Specialist cheesemongers, Waitrose, The Fine Cheese Co.
Kirkham's Lancashire
Style: Crumbly, buttery | Milk: Raw cow's (Friesian) | Region: Lancashire
Maker: Graham Kirkham, Beesley Farm, Goosnargh
The Kirkham family has been making Lancashire cheese for three generations, and their version is regarded as the definitive expression of the style. Using the traditional "two-day curd" method (blending curds made on consecutive days), the cheese develops a uniquely layered texture — crumbly at the edges, creamy and yoghurty at the centre.
The rind is cloth-bound and buttered, developing a beautiful basket-weave surface. The flavour builds from mild and lactic to a zesty, bright acidity.
- Taste notes: Bright citrus, cultured butter, gentle tang, melting texture
- Pairing: Pickled onions, Lancashire Eccles cakes, a pint of bitter
- Where to buy: Neal's Yard Dairy, The Courtyard Dairy
Cornish Yarg
Style: Semi-hard, nettle-wrapped | Milk: Pasteurised cow's | Region: Cornwall
Maker: Lynher Dairies, Ponsanooth
Wrapped in hand-picked nettle leaves that are pressed onto the surface and develop a beautiful grey-green coating over time, Cornish Yarg is one of Britain's most visually striking cheeses. Beneath the leaves, the paste ranges from crumbly and Caerphilly-like at the centre to a creamy breakdown layer near the rind.
The nettles aren't just decorative — they create a natural microclimate that allows beneficial moulds to develop, contributing earthy, mushroomy notes to the finished cheese.
- Taste notes: Fresh cream, subtle mushroom, lemony tang, herbaceous finish from the nettles
- Pairing: Crisp Sauvignon Blanc, crusty bread, apple chutney
- Where to buy: Widely available in supermarkets; best from specialist shops for optimal aging
Baron Bigod
Style: Soft, Brie-de-Meaux style | Milk: Raw cow's (Montbeliarde) | Region: Suffolk
Maker: Jonny and Dulcie Crickmore, Fen Farm Dairy
Baron Bigod is Britain's only raw milk Brie-style cheese and arguably the finest soft cheese made in the UK. The Crickmores use milk from their own herd of Montbeliarde cattle (a French breed chosen specifically for cheesemaking), and make the cheese using traditional ladle-moulding — the curd is scooped by hand into moulds rather than pumped.
The result is extraordinary: a silky, almost liquid interior with a complex flavour profile that evolves dramatically as it ripens.
- Taste notes: Wild mushroom, toasted hay, rich cream, long savoury finish
- Pairing: English sparkling wine, walnut bread, figs
- Where to buy: Neal's Yard Dairy, direct from Fen Farm Dairy
Sparkenhoe Red Leicester
Style: Hard, cloth-bound | Milk: Raw cow's | Region: Leicestershire
Maker: David and Jo Clarke, Sparkenhoe Farm
When the Clarkes started making Red Leicester in 2005, they became the first people to produce the cheese on a Leicestershire farm in over 50 years. Using raw milk from their own herd, vegetable dye from annatto seeds, and cloth-binding, they revived the authentic recipe.
The result is nothing like the rubbery, orange supermarket version. Sparkenhoe Red Leicester has a complex, nutty sweetness, a crumbly-yet-moist texture, and a burnished orange hue.
- Taste notes: Toasted nuts, butterscotch, gentle sweetness, rich depth
- Pairing: Ploughman's lunch, pickles, brown ale
- Where to buy: Neal's Yard Dairy, The Courtyard Dairy, selected farm shops
Bermondsey Hard Pressed
Style: Hard, Alpine-inspired | Milk: Raw cow's | Region: London (yes, London)
Maker: Bill Oglethorpe, Spa Terminus
Proof that great cheese doesn't need rolling hills — Bermondsey Hard Pressed is made in a railway arch in South London. Bill Oglethorpe uses milk from a single herd in Kent, producing a hard Alpine-style cheese with a crunchy rind and deeply savoury interior.
- Taste notes: Broth, roasted onion, brown butter, sweet finish
- Pairing: Hard cider, sourdough, charcuterie
- Where to buy: Spa Terminus market (Saturday mornings), select London cheesemongers
How We Select Featured Cheeses
Our featured selections prioritise:
- Craft — Handmade production using traditional or innovative techniques
- Flavour — Distinct, memorable character that represents its style
- Provenance — A genuine connection to place, herd, and maker
- Availability — Obtainable by UK consumers (not museum pieces)
This list is refreshed seasonally. Cheese is a living product, and the best examples change with the seasons, the grass, and the maker's art.
Product mentions are editorial selections. Where available, links may include affiliate partnerships — see our affiliate disclosure for details.