10 Blue Cheese Picks to Appeal to all Palates

5 STRONG BLUES:

ROQUEFORT TROUPEAU AOP
While much Roquefort is produced on an industrial scale, leading French affineur Hennart is one of the last to still be made by hand. Spicy, salty, fruity and wonderfully creamy, it is undoubtedly one of the world’s greatest cheeses.

PICOS BLUE
From the mountains of Northern Spain, this plucky maple leaf-wrapped, cow and goats’ milk cheese has plenty of spice and buttery richness. Made by the Alonso brothers for more than 30 years, it delivers a sticky rind and salty tang.

COLSTON SHROPSHIRE BLUE
Colston Bassett is synonymous with world class blues. This cheese is made in a similar way to Stilton, with the addition of annatto to give it a sunset orange hue. It’s sweeter and more delicate than its better-known cousin.

MRS BELL’S BLUE
A compelling ewes’ milk blue named after its creator Judy Bell of Shepherds Purse. It has a sweet burnt-caramel flavour that envelopes the sharp smack of the blue mould This is milder than Roquefort but equally complex.

NORBURY BLUE
This is the most powerful blue we have! It has been made since 2001, using raw milk from the family farm’s closed herd of Friesians. The lush meadow grasses are conveyed along with peppery notes.

5 MILD BLUES:

ROCHEBARON
Under its ash-covered rind, this French blue unveils a soft texture and a subtle, slightly fruity flavour.

MONTAGNOLO
This German blue has been produced for more than a century by Käserei Champignon. Sourcing cows’ milk from the rolling grasslands of southern Bavaria, it’s combined with cream to make a decadent cheese, rich and buttery with mild musty notes.

CASHEL BLUE
A pioneer of Irish cheesemaking, Jane Grubb first made this soft, subtle blue in 1984 using milk from her husband Louis’ herd of pedigree Friesians. It’s handmade by the second generation on their 200 acre farm in Tipperary. This balanced, creamy cheese has the merest hint of saltiness.

BEAUVALE
Nottinghamshire Stilton maker, Cropwell Bishop has branched out with a distinctly different blue. This has a lot in common with Gorgonzola Dolce thanks to its soft, silky texture and mellow flavour. It’s sweet, spicy and framed by an underlying earthiness.

BARKHAM BLUE
This ammonite-shaped cheese is made with super-creamy Guernsey and Jersey milk to give a gorgeous melt-in the-mouth consistency without harshness. Often described as a blue cheese for people who don’t like blue cheese, it’s handmade daily by the husband and wife team at Two Hoots.

Image: Harvey & Brockless

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