Our carefully chosen selection of hard cheeses offers deep, complex flavours and exceptional long finishes. Artisan cheesemakers treasure traditional methods and recipes. They age their Cheddars and hard cheeses with time-honoured techniques for many months — and, in some cases, years. This allows each cheese’s unique texture, flavours, and aromas to develop. Our mouthwatering range includes rich, bold, and tangy cheeses with notes of nuttiness, earthiness, caramel, and grass.
No cheeseboard is complete without at least one variety of hard cheese — especially one with big, bold flavours. Pair our hard cheeses with thick, dark chutneys or crunchy apple slices for a mouthwatering end to your meal.
This Comté Vieux AOP is matured for 18 months, twice as long as standard Comté. Longer maturation gives this nutty cheese additional sweetness and depth of flavour. The texture is firmer too with a studding of crystals that adds a delicate crunch. Made in Franche-Comté in the Jura mountains, our Comté Vieux is made from the raw milk of Montbéliarde cows in accordance with strict AOP regulations. Read more
£8.65
From the Pays Basque region of France, this hard cheese takes its name from the shape of a local mountain, the profile of which is reminiscent of Napoleon. Matured for six months, Brebis Napoleon is made from the milk of sheep that graze the high meadows of the Pyrenees. It is ivory in colour with a mottled brown rind. Its flavour is sweet and nutty with fresh grassy tones and pairs well with full-bodied red wines. Read more
£11.95
A small number of Lincolnshire Poacher cheeses are specially selected for extended maturing. These become known as 'Double Barrel', a perfect choice for those who enjoy big punchy flavours. Double Barrel Poachers are matured between two and three years. Encased in a mottled grey-brown rind with the appearance of granite, this cheese is rich, strong and savoury. Deep pungent flavours are offset by bright and fruity notes. Read more
£7.85
Weydeland VSOC Gouda is made in the Woerden region of Holland on the banks of the river Oude Rijn. Deep orange in colour with visible salt and protein crystals, this outstanding extra mature Gouda has been aged for an incredible three years (1000 days). The ‘VSOC’ in its name stands for ‘Very Superior Old Cheese!’ Weydeland VSOC Gouda has a delicious nutty caramel flavour and long finish, perfectly complemented by its crystalline crunch. Read more
£8.50
Godminster Vintage Cheddar hails from Bruton, Somerset, where it is made with pasteurised cow’s milk from the farm's own organic dairy herd to a traditional 70-year-old recipe. This firm Cheddar is matured for up to twelve months to produce a full, rounded flavour and an exceptionally smooth, creamy texture. Rich and buttery, it has a long finish without the acidity often associated with vintage Cheddars. Encased in distinctive burgundy wax, Godminster Cheddar is shaped in round truckles – and seasonally as pretty hearts. Read more
£7.75
Wrapped in muslin and dipped into molten black wax, this handmade cheese from the village of Goosnargh in the heart of Lancashire is deeply creamy after maturing for two years. Just as its name suggests, Lancashire Bomb has a strong, powerful flavour with a touch of acid. It can be sliced open and eaten with a spoon when warmed to room temperature. Enjoy with classic brown pickle and crusty bread. Read more
£11.90
Le Gruyère has been produced in the Jura region of Switzerland since the 12th century. Today, this authentic AOP regulated Le Gruyère Reserve is still made to the same traditional recipe — and no fondue is complete without it! Le Gruyère Reserve is matured for longer than standard varieties to develop greater depth of flavour. Made from rich unpasteurised cow’s milk, it is floral, fruity, nutty and sharp with a dark rind and slightly grainy paste. Read more
£8.88 £10.45
Our artisan Manchego is produced in the heart of La Mancha, Spain. This DOP status cheese is made in the traditional way with raw milk from Spain’s most iconic breed of sheep, the Manchega. Our Manchego is a young, fresh variety. Firm and compact in texture, its flavour is reminiscent of dried fruits and roasted nuts with acidic notes of green olives. Marinate in fruity Spanish olive oil for tapas. Read more
£8.25
Norfolk Dapple is a cheddar-style cheese made by Ferndale Cheeses in Norfolk. Maker Arthur Betts uses unpasteurised cow’s milk from a local herd of pedigree Holstein-Friesians and traditional ‘cheddaring’ methods to create this rich and round cheese with a hint of nuttiness. Its namesake dappling develops on the truckles’ cloths while it matures for between five and eight months. Read more
£7.00
Pliable Ogleshield is the West Country equivalent to Swiss Raclette. This supple cheese melts magnificently for sumptuous Alpine style raclette dinners with potatoes and gherkins – or the perfect cheese toastie! Made from rich Jersey milk by Jamie Montgomery in Somerset (maker of Montgomery's Cheddar), it is washed in brine every three days to develop its springy consistency, pink rind and slightly pungent aroma. The name of this cheese honours the contribution of former Neals Yard Dairy maturer Bill Oglethorpe to its development, and the cheese’s shield shape. Read more
£6.55
Love Parmesan? If you’re looking for an authentic PDO regulated Parmigiano Reggiano with a nutty, salty taste and a lingering sweetness, this is it. Granular in texture, this cheese has an inimitably fragrant aroma and is perfect for pasta. Produced in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, it is made from unpasteurised cow’s milk to the same recipe used eight centuries ago. Our golden wedges are cut from carefully matured wheels, which can weigh as much as 39 kg. Read more
£8.75
From the Italian island of Sardinia, Pecorino Sardo is a hard and grainy cheese made to a protected traditional recipe. Made using lamb's rennet and the milk of free grazing sheep, it is matured for at least sixty days. Sweet and nutty in flavour, Pecorino Sardo is a perfect cooking cheese, in sauces or grated over pasta or risotto dishes. It can be substituted in any recipe calling for Parmesan giving the end result a sharper flavour. Read more
£7.50
Raclette de Savoie is the quintessential raclette cheese. Smooth and creamy, it melts evenly without burning for a perfect après ski experience. Traditionally, Raclette was melted in front of an open fire before being scraped over boiled potatoes, pickles and charcuterie. Today, table top raclette grills are more commonly used but the ingredients of an authentic raclette dinner are still the same. Raclette de Savoie can be bought on its own or, for an easy Alpine dinner party, our raclette meal deal contains a selection of alpine charcuterie and a jar of crunchy Slate Pickles too.
Raclette grills are available to hire from either of our Suffolk shops. Read more
£39.00
From the mountains of Switzerland, Red Wine Farmer is a powerful cheese with a long finish. Whilst maturing for eight months, this cheese is intermittently washed in local red wine. This washing process colours the rind but is not done frequently enough to make it sticky or 'stinky' like other washed rind cheeses. The red wine imparts a pungent punch to this sweet and creamy cheese. Read more
£7.95
Ferndale Cheeses’s Norfolk Dapple spends at least twelve hours in a bespoke refrigerator with the smoke of oak wood pellets to become Smoked Dapple. The result is multiple layers of flavour. We love the balance of smokiness, richness, roundness and nuttiness. The ‘dapple’ on this cheese is the beautiful speckling of colours that develop on this clothbound cheese as it matures for between five and eight months. Read more
£7.25
Villa Fumé Smoked Gouda is creamy and slightly spicy with a natural smoke flavour. This award-winning cheese is made on a Dutch farm using thermised cow's milk — an intermediary treatment between raw and pasteurised, which retains natural enzymes and flavours while eliminating some bacteria. The cheeses are then smoked with artisan methods and matured on wooden boards for three to four months. Read more
£7.25
Black Bomber is the flagship cheese of the Snowdonia Cheese Company, one of the UK’s best-selling speciality cheese brands. This multi-award-winning cheese from the Welsh Valleys has become a modern classic, instantly recognisable in its black wax casing. Made with pasteurised cow’s milk, this extra mature Cheddar is creamy and smooth. Its deep yet mellow flavour and long finish has secured its place in many cheese lovers’ hearts. Read more
£5.95
Spenwood is a hard, pressed cheese made from unpasteurised ewes' milk. Reminiscent of Pecorino, its pale yellow paste has a smooth, dense texture and a sweet, slightly nutty flavour. Spenwood is produced by Anne Wigmore of Village Maid Cheese, based near Spencer Wood in Berkshire, from where this cheese takes its name. Matured for six months, it is perfect for grating over pasta or risotto. Spenwood won Super Gold at the World Cheese Awards 2017. Read more
£10.95
St Helena is a brand new cheese from the makers of St Jude and St Cera. Based at Fen Farm nearby Bungay, Suffolk, they use the raw milk of the farm's Montebeliarde cows to create this supple washed rind cheese made to a St Nectaire recipe and aged on rye straw mats. Milky and sweet with just a hint of tangy farmyard at the finish, St Helena is an excellent melter and we love it alongside the crunchy sharpness of our Slate pickles. Read more
£9.50
Vintage Gouda typically fills your mouth with lingering delights of fudgy caramel and this one from the Cornish Gouda Company is no exception. Aged for over two years, it has a rich, complex flavour and crunchy texture from visible protein crystals. Handcrafted to a traditional Dutch recipe, this Vintage Gouda is made on the Spierings' sustainably-run dairy farm near Looe on the south Cornish coast. It makes an incredible sandwich tucked inside crusty sourdough bread. Read more
£7.75
Vintage Lincolnshire Poacher is made on the Jones family’s sustainably run farm with the unpasteurised milk from their herd of Holstein-Friesian cows. This traditionally-made cheese is similar to cheddar while also being reminiscent of Alpine cheeses such as Comte and Gruyere. Matured for around 22 months on wooden boards, Vintage Lincolnshire Poacher is smooth and rich. Batches made from summer milk have sweet pineapple and grassy notes with hints of toasted nuts. Winter-made batches are often more savoury and meaty. Read more
£7.95
There are no mountains to be found near Copys Green Farm, Wighton, but this doesn't stop Catherine Temple producing Norfolk's very own Alpine-style cheese. Inspired by the local cheeses she discovered on a European cycling holiday, this semi-hard cheese is handmade to a Gruyere recipe using milk from the farm's own herd of Brown Swiss cows. Matured for six to nine months, Wells Alpine has a sweet, nutty flavour and a pleasant tang. Read more
£7.95
Winner of the ‘Best Cheddar’ award at the British Cheese Awards 2018, Westcombe Cheddar is one of the three big Somerset Cheddars. Made by a father and son team at Westcombe Dairy near Shepton Mallett, this PDO accredited artisan Cheddar has a fabulous earthy aroma and a deep complex flavour. We love its lingering notes of notes of hazelnut and caramel; its mellow tang; and famously long finish. Read more
£7.45
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Registered Address: Slate Cheese Limited, 138 High Street, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, IP15 5AQ. Registered Company Number: 10305457. VAT Registration Number: 249907562. Slate is a trading name of Slate Cheese Limited.