I love cheese, like... a lot. Whenever I go to a gathering where there's food, I go straight for the cheese platter or beautifully decorated charcuterie board and observe all the delicious choices I get to eat. I'd say over the past few years I've tried a lot of different types of cheeses, so I like to say that I have a very diverse cheese palate. But little did I know how expensive cheese can be.
I work at a grocery store in my town and I've seen the prices of cheese. When I first started working there, which was four years ago, I was shocked by how expensive it is. I'm still shocked TBH, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying it. Once a cheese lover, always a cheese lover.
A family friend of mine makes cheese once in a while and sometimes brings it over to my house, and let me tell you, the days he stops by, I am elated. The types of cheeses he makes aren't the typical ones you have in your fridge such as provolone, mozzarella, Parmesan, American, or cheddar. They have some cool and funky names that I can't remember because I'm so infatuated with the taste.
After doing some extensive research about how expensive cheese can be, I realized I don't actually have as much cheese knowledge as I had thought, because there are so many types out there that I have yet to get my hands on. I guess I'm going to have to make a cheese bucket list.
So, if you're a cheese lover like me and have stuck to the same three or four of your favorite kinds, you may want to broaden your cheese horizons and check these top-tier cheeses out. But a heads up, they're pretty pricy so you may want to reach out to other cheese lovers that you know and split the cost and have yourself a cheese-tasting party.
For some cheese guidance, here are the 10 most expensive cheeses in the world:
10. Lord of the Hundreds: $45/pound
Lord of the Hundreds comes from East Sussex, England, and is made from local sheep's milk. This type of cheese is rustic with a slightly dry, sharp, and nutty flavor.
9. Winnimere: $40/13 oz.
This creamy, gooey, and soft cheese originates in the state of Vermont. If you're a Brie or Camembert fan, you need to try this out. As part of a tradition, this cheese is only made during the winter months. So, make sure to stock up on this cheese so you don't run out before they make more.
8. Rogue River Blue: $80
Rogue River Blue originates from the lovely state of Oregon and was first made in 2003. In fact, it's even a winner of "World's Best Blue Cheese." This pear-liquor-soaked cheese will definitely cheer you up with its unique punch and fruity flavors.
7. Germain Epoisses: $50/Pound
Another creamy delight that'll cost a little more than the $5 package of American cheese slices you're used to is Epoisses by Germain. Epoisses is specific to the Burgundy region in France and has been a major hit for gourmet cheese lovers since its inception in 1991. It captures attention for its bright orange rind and its fruity flavor from the Marc de Bourgogne (a French spirit) rinse.
6. Jersey Blue: $52/Kilogram
This award-winning cheese was first made by Willi Schmid all the way in Switzerland. Even though this cheese has an American-sounding name, it's actually a Swiss cheese that was named after a breed of cow whose milk it's made from. To me, this cheese looks like a piece of art, no wonder it won two awards.
5. Caciocavallo Podolico: $50/pound
Also known as the "Horse Cheese," Cacuicavallo Podolico is very popular in the southern part of Italy. Despite its nickname, it's actually not made from horse's milk, it comes from a rare Italian breed of cow called Podolica. It is a very hard and dry cheese that ages in the shape of pear.
4. Bitto Storico: $150/pound
Get your travel shoes ready, this cheese comes all the way from Valtelline valley in Lombardy, in fact. This cheese in particular is only made by 12 cheesemakers to this day. Bitto cheese is aged for up to 18 years so this one is extra special.
3. Wyke Farms Cheddar: $200/pound
This rather expensive cheese is known for making sandwiches taste so much better and pairs perfectly with wine and beer. It is actually one of the most traditional cheeses on the list. This cheese, made in 1861 by the Wyke Farms family in Great Britain is also an award-winning cheese.
2. White Stilton Gold: $420/pound
White Stilton cheese is actually the cousin to the famous blue cheese from Britain but is extra creamy and deliciously tangy. This cheese is often made with different fruit flavors like lemon, ginger, apricots, and many other combos.
1. Pule: $600/pound
Here, we have the most expensive cheese. What makes it so expensive is that it comes from the milk of a Balkan donkey from Siberia. It's not just the most expensive cheese, but also one of the rarest of them all. It takes 25 liters of the donkey's milk to make just one kilogram of cheese. It is originally from Siberia but will soon be making its way around the world.
Now, with all of these newly discovered cheeses, I hope to be able to get my hands on some of these beauties and cross them off of my cheese bucket list.