Aged Cheddar (Grafton)

Producer

Grafton Village Cheese

Country

United States

Region

Vermont

Size

Varies

Weight

8 oz; 1 lb; 5 lbs; 10 lbs

Website

http://www.graftonvillagecheese.com/

Milk

Cow

Treatment

Raw

Classification

Firm

Rennet

Microbial

Rind

None
Plastic

Style

Cheddar-like

Located in Vermont, the Grafton Cooperative Cheese Company was originally founded in 1892 with the purpose of converting surplus milk from local dairy farmers into cheese. Years later, a fire destroyed the original factory. The factory and the company were restored in the mid-1960s by The Windham Foundation, a philanthropic organization that supports the rural community surrounding Grafton via educational and practical means. Today, Grafton Cheese handcrafts artisanal, aged cheddar, and specialty cheeses. Proceeds from the sale of these cheeses support the Windham Foundation’s charitable efforts.

Tasting Notes

Grafton Village’s classic cheddar cheeses are aged from one to four years. Texture and flavor of the cheese varies depending on age. The youngest of the Grafton Village Cheddars available for sale, One Year Aged Cheddar, is medium in intensity, with satisfying sweet and buttery flavors. Grafton’s signature cheddar, Two Year Aged Cheddar, has a bold flavor with tangy, lactic notes and hints of hay and brown butter. Three Year Aged Cheddar is boldly complex with a bright, lactic flavor profile, hints of toasted hazelnuts, and a lingering, piquant finish. And, finally, Four Year Aged Cheddar, a rarity among raw-milk cheddars, is characterized by bright and bold flavors reminiscent of whiskey and toasted nuts, mellowing into a sweet finish.

Pairings