Cheese is a well-loved food around the world. From cheddar to gouda, there is a type of cheese for everyone. Cheese lovers are increasing the demand for high-end luxury cheeses as they're always looking for the best.
The most expensive cheeses in the world are made from various types of milk, from moose milk to donkey milk. The cost of cheese is influenced by flavour and the cheese-making process. Age and availability also affect the price.
Here are the ten most expensive kinds of cheese in the world from the Ask Genie blog:
1- Pule Cheese
Price per pound - $807, but it can go up to $1750 on the market.
Pule cheese comes from a breed of Balkan donkeys in the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve in Serbia. The recipe remains unchanged; Pule has been made in this way since the 1700s.
The donkeys must be hand-milked about twice a day, each time not providing much milk. Because of this, you need 3 gallons of donkey milk to make one pound of Pule cheese.
You can definitely tell why it's the most expensive cheese in the world!
The herd of donkeys usually only has 130 jennies that give milk. However, donkey milk is very beneficial, as it contains much more vitamin C than the common cow's milk, with only 1% fat.
This cheese is identified by its crumbly texture (like feta), with a nutty and slightly sweet palate. Some may compare this to Gruyere or Spanish Manchego with a complex, rich flavour. Being number 1 on the list of expensive cheese, it's not available at the local market!
2- Moose Cheese
Price per pound - Up to $672
Moose milk is pretty rare; however, moose cheese is even rarer. Moose cheese comes second on the list of the most expensive cheese in the world due to the complicated process of obtaining the milk and the amount of milk needed to make the cheese. There’s also only one Swedish farm that makes it!
The Moose or Elk House in Sweden produces four types of moose cheese, which are:
- Feta cheese
- Dried blue cheese
- White mold cheese,
- Creamy blue cheese
The milk is from three moose who are siblings, who only give milk from May to September and only produce about 5 litres per day. This limited timeframe and the difficulty of getting milk from a moose contribute to its high price. This seasonal cheese is only available to nearby restaurants.
The moose must be managed with care when milking, as the milk may dry up otherwise. Cheese connoisseurs have said that this luxury cheese has a deep and smooth flavour without a weird aftertaste. Moose milk can be compared to cow's milk but has more fat and protein.
3- White Stilton Gold
Price per pound- About $538
If you want to impress your peers with a cheese board, the British classic Stilton is the way to do it. This cheese has flecks of edible gold leaf, contributing to its unique nature.
Only six creameries in the UK are allowed to make Stilton cheese, which is protected by European law. It is restricted to manufacturing in three counties only: Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, and Derbyshire.
The creameries use local pasteurized cow's milk to make white Stilton gold. This cheese has a standard cylindrical shape, forms its crust, and is unpressed. Usually, blue cheese is made by poking the crust to let air in the cheese for molding.
Although various countries make blue cheese the same way, classic white Stilton gold cheese is marked differently by its distinct taste and aroma. Especially Stilton cheese that contains gold flakes!
This cheese has a rich flavour with a powerful aftertaste. High-quality Stilton is creamy with a slight sweetness and a nutty aftertaste.
4- Wyke Farms Cheddar Cheese
Price per pound- $270
Wyke Farms claims that their cheddar cheese has a recipe that is 160 years old. The aging process of their award-winning cheese can go up to 15 months. It is available to buy around the world through online platforms.
It sounds fairly simple to be this expensive; however, the Wyke family says that all their cheddar is produced using renewable energy. Their recipe comes from their grandmother Ivy, who created the perfect cheddar cheese blend. No one, besides the family, knows the Wyke Farms cheddar recipe - which is why it's so expensive.
5- Bitto Storico
Price per pound - About $200
Bitto Storico cheese comes from cows who live in the Bitto River Valley and the Valtellina Valley in Italy. The cheese changes in flavour depending on the season, which is why it is a part of cheese delicacies.
Only twelve cheesemakers make Bitto cheese, and they use copper-made cauldrons on timber fires. The cows do not eat supplemental feed, so the cheese contains no additives.
The production of cheese only happens from June to September. The cheese must be left to age for seventy days, although aging it for up to 10 years gives a better taste.
*This cheese should not be mistaken for Bitto DOP, which is also found in the same valley; however, it is not created with standard methods and contains additives.
6- Caciocavallo Podolico
Price per pound- About $60
This Italian cheese is produced by a rare breed of Italian cows called the Podolica, which only give milk in May or June.
It is made in various regions, including Basilicata, Campania, Puglia, and Calabria; it is hard to obtain outside these regions. This cheese is pear-shaped and used to be tied in pairs and hung over rods for curing.
Back then, the cheese used to be hung over the neck of a horse for transport. Caciocavallo can be eaten after three months, but cheese lovers say that three years of aging makes it even tastier.
This rare cheese has a taste of sweetness at first, then becomes delicate and spicy after a while. It has the unique fragrances of the wild herbs the cows feed on.
7- Jersey Blue
Price per pound- Approximately $60
Jersey blue is one of the unique cheeses on this list and is quite unconventional. It was made by a Swiss cheesemaker, Willi Schmid, in 2006 and is a current spin on an old cheese, with blue, grey, white, and veins and mold on the cheese. Jersey Blue is known to be externally rinded.
Schmid works a little differently from the usual. He tests the raw milk from the cows and just knows which Swiss cheese each one should produce. This cheese, in particular, is made from Jersey cow's milk.
The process is complex and involves him hand-ladling the curds into the cheese. He introduced two kinds of blue mold and let the cheese age for ten weeks.
It has a musty aroma when uncut, with a buttery and soft consistency when young. As it ages, the flavours get stronger, and the veins change to green. This tasty cheese has a mellow earthy flavour with a sharp bite.
8- Beaufort d'Ete
Price per pound- $60
On the list of probably every turophile, Beaufort cheese is widely known for its creamy, smooth texture and pale colour. This cheese comes from France's Savoie region and is produced from mountain cows called the Tarentaise.
Similar cheese has been made in the Alpine region since the 17th century, called Grovire, which was extremely popular at the height of the French Revolution. A town named Beaufort made its varieties of cheese, which continued to flourish for 80 years.
This cheese is only made in summer and sits comfortably within this list of the most expensive cheese in the world. It was granted protected designation of origin (PDO) class in 2009.
The standard version of Beaufort is produced from November to May when the cows eat the summer's harvested hay. Other varieties, such as the Beaufort d'Ete and Beaufort Chalet d'Alpage, are produced when the cows feed in mountain fields from June to November. This is a single-managed herd of cows kept at an elevation above 1500m.
The taste of Beaufort d'Ete is soft and buttery and will remind you of white flowers and fresh milk. Since it is made in small portions, the price is quite high compared to the standard version.
9- Cacio Bufala
Price per pound- Around $60
Cacio Bufala is a well-known cheese made in Italy and is produced from pasteurized water buffalo milk. The cheese is a delicate, firm white cheese made any time of year and always available (despite its nifty price). Cacio Bufala should not be confused with other cheeses, Buffalo Mozzarella or Caciocavallo de Bufala.
This cheese is left in a brine solution to be salted and cured for 60 days. Cacio Bufala is comparable to a cheese called Provolone, which uses salt and natural rennet. The curd is then emptied during maturing to make cheese with a fragrant scent.
Cacio Bufala is made by the Casa Madaio dairy farmstead in Campania and is left to age in natural caves for eight months to a year. The cheese is ivory yellow with a pleasant note of buffalo milk and holds a creamy, buttery flavour, making it a good pair with hearty bread.
10- Rogue River Blue
Price per pound- About $53
This is an American cheese and graces its name on the list of expensive cheese. It is made in Rogue Creamery, an organic dairy in Grants Pass. Their cows are left to feed on a large area of land, and its trademark cheese is known worldwide. The Rogue River Blue creamery strictly follows goals that support animal well-being and environmental health.
When they moved on to producing crafter blue cheese, the dairy received a healthy bout of skepticism. However, Rogue held its own and won a "World's Best Blue" title in 2003 and another award in 2009.
Rogue River cheese wheels are silky and smooth, with beautiful crunches. It becomes stronger and more intense with age, with the flavour being described as sweet and toasty.
FAQs
What is the oldest cheese?
The oldest edible cheese that we know is Bitto Storico, which can be aged up to 18 years. While history has found cheese remnants from 3000 years ago, these cheeses are definitely not edible!
Why is Pule so expensive?
Pule is one of the most expensive cheeses because of its rarity and scarcity. This cheese can only be produced by a specific herd of donkeys in Serbia. The milk produced each time is minimal, and so is the quantity of Pule.
Which country eats the most cheese?
France is a country that holds the title for having the most cheese lovers and most cheese consumed in a year, with Italy coming a close second.
Discover More of the Most Expensive Items in the World With Spin Genie
If you’re a cheese connoisseur, you’ll likely be drooling after reading this list of the most expensive cheeses in the world! From powerful blues to smooth and creamy moose cheeses, you’re sure to find a cheese on this list you will love.
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