Crafting Your Own Cheddar Tasting

The best way to appreciate the nuances of quality Cheddars is to taste them alongside one another. Arrange your cheeses from youngest (most mild) to oldest (sharpest), and serve them at room temperature. Aged Cheddars in particular need to warm up so they are not too crumbly.

Shelburne Farms, 1-Year Cheddar, Vermont: Made from the milk of purebred Brown Swiss cows, this is a delicious young cheese with a slight bite and a grainy texture.
To Buy: $11 a pound, www.shelburnefarms.org

Jasper Hill Farm, Aspenhurst 14 to 16 Month Farmstead Cheddar, Vermont: Made from Ayrshire cows’ milk, this Cheddar has a hard, dry texture and intense, nutty flavors.
To Buy: $19 a pound, Murray’s Cheese, www.murrayscheese.com.

Fiscalini Farmstead Cheese, 18-Month Bandaged Wrapped Cheddar, California: Balanced and bold, with sweet, buttery, and grassy flavors, this cheese has a slightly sandy texture and a porcelain-like color.
To Buy: $18 a pound, www.fiscalinicheese.com.

Carr Valley, 2-Year Aged Cheddar, Wisconsin: It’s medium-bodied, with light fruit notes, a sharp and tangy finish, and a pleasant buttery texture.
To Buy: $5.50 a pound, 800-462-7258.

Grafton Village Cheese Company, 4-Star Cheddar, Vermont: Aged for four years, this cheese has a dry, crumbly texture, a very sharp flavor, and a smooth finish.
To Buy: $15 a pound, www.graftonvillagecheese.com.

For additional varieties of American artisan Cheddar, check out these retailers: the Artisanal Cheese Center (www.artisanalcheese.com), Dean & Deluca (www.deandeluca.com), Ideal Cheese Shop (www.idealcheese.com), and Whole Foods Market (www.wholefoods.com).