the cheese blog

Valley Shepherd Hunterdon

Valley Shepherd Hunterdon is a cheddar-like cheese that is cave-aged for two years. There is nothing about this cheese on the Valley Shepherd site, and the label on the cheese suggested this was a one-off or limited batch (e.g., hand written with few details).

It is made from a mixture of cow and sheep milk. It has a natural rind that is mottled grey, white, and stone. The texture is firm and crumbly. The aroma is slightly sweet and briny. The taste is quite complex with stone fruits, soft nuts, honey, a mild saltiness. It also is a bit crunchy due to calcium lactate crystals that formed. This cheese was a pleasant surprise. Recommended!