This huge mountain cheese is matured for eighteen months to produce a fruity, hazelnut flavour and a smooth, creamy, buttery paste. It is similar to a Swiss Gruyère. A whole cheese weighs up to 60kg and has a distinctive concave edge.

Created by an Augergnian peasant farmer after seeing the famous Roquefort commanding high prices at the markets. A creamy full-flavoured blue.

More assertive than Bleu d'Auvergne since it is blued with Penicillium roquefortii rather than Penicillium glaucum . It is a cow's milk version of Roquefort, matured in the caves of Les Causses.

A fabulous, full-flavoured Brie with a plump, smooth paste.

A small log with a buttery texture coated in pinhead oats. Legend has it that this cheese was discovered by accident when a cattle herder returned home with the day's cheese in the same box that he had used to carry his oatcakes earlier that day. 110g. 

One of the most famous of all cheeses but relatively young by French standards - a mere 285 years old. The rind is creamy-white and the paste is plump and pale-golden with a full flavour. 

A peeled Camembert coated in breadcrumbs and marinated in the local Calvados (apple brandy). 

A medium-flavoured blue with a melt in the mouth creaminess, this cheese is less salty than the majority of blues. Ireland's most famous cheese.

A Chanteraine coated with peppercorns. The heat of the pepper is balanced by the smoothness of the cheese.

Chaource has a delicate, nutty flavour and a creamy texture which melts in the mouth like snow. It has a white, fluffy coat.

One of the very few cheeses made on a large scale to find a place in our shop. Its bright, orange rind hides a smooth, springy texture and a mild, buttery flavour. High mountain pastures are called 'Chaumes' in some parts of France.

Made by a third generation of cheese makers. The milk comes from the family herd which grazes on the fresh meadows at the foot of the Mendip Hills. A full flavoured, organic moist Cheddar with a slightly sharp edge.

Mature Montgomery's Cheddar is oak-smoked for six hours to give a full, smoked flavour.

One of the few cheeses made on a large scale to find a place in our shop. Flavourings are used to create the smoky flavour since the cheese is no longer smoked. The paste is firm and moist and the whole cheese is coated in paprika.

One of the oldest cheeses made in England, Appleby's is an excellent example of Cheshire cheese-making. Crumbly with a fresh tangy flavour.

Wheels of Appleby's Red Cheshire are oak-smoked to give a full, smoky flavour with a crumbly texture.

Cotherstone has been made in Teesdale for several generations and has become popular with drinkers of stout. A moist, tangy cheese - perfect for the cheeseboard or with a plain baguette.

A firm, triple-cream cheese with a rich flavour. Excellent when served warm.

The Fowlers of Earlswood were making this cheese in 1840 which makes them the oldest cheese-making family in England. Similar to a Cheddar.

After studying cheese-making in Switzerland, Sean returned to Ireland to make this hard, granular cheese. Deep-cream coloured with a thick, hard rind, the flavour is intense and spicy. Can be used like a Parmesan.

Made using Ayrshire cows' milk and matured for at least four months. Sweet and smooth, medium flavoured blue.

Dolcelatte is a modern cheese made on a large scale and is a mild, firmer version of Gorgonzola.

This cheese is named after Sir Edward Elgar who was born within a mile of the farm. It is based on the 19th century recipe of Peter Rogers' great grandmother. A firm but slightly open texture and a rich flavour.

Washing in the local Marc produces a bright-orange, sticky rind, a pungent flavour and lively aroma. Creamy and almost liquid when mature. Discounted price.

Washing in the local Marc produces a bright-orange, sticky rind, a pungent flavour and lively aroma. Creamy and almost liquid when mature. Individual 250g cheese. 

A tall, cylindrical, creamy-white cheese marbled with dark, blue-green veining. The paste is smooth and fairly moist, tasting quite rich and tangy but not too bitter. A fourme is the name given to the mould which shapes the cheese and Ambert is the town around which the cheese is made.

Made on the same farm as Desmond this is a hard, granular cheese with a deep, fruity flavour and a mellow aftertaste. Can be used like a Parmesan.

A skimmed-milk cheese flavoured with pepper and the local pink garlic. It is moulded into the shape of a dome. The cheese grows a white, fluffy coat and looks a little like a small igloo. 

The famous Gorgonzola has a heavy, creamy paste with an irresistable and long-lasting flavour.

Generations of Fergusons have been farming at Gubbeen House on the South West tip of Ireland. The salty sea air is perfect for this type of cheese which has a silky, pliable texture and a fresh, milky flavour. Bronze Medal Winner 2003.

Gubbeen is lightly oak-smoked by Chris Jepson at Goleen's harbour. The smoked flavour does not swamp the natural flavour of the cheese.