There’s nothing better than a delicious piece of cheese. Are you curious to know which is the most expensive cheese? Whether it’s on a sandwich, a cracker, or on its own, cheese is one of the universal favorite foods.
Most cheese is pretty affordable, and you’ll see some common and uncommon cheese at your local grocery store, but have you ever wondered about the most expensive cheese?
In a rush? Jump to the most expensive cheese:
- Pule – $600 to $1,000 per pound
- Moose Cheese – $500 per pound
- Wyke Farms Cheddar – $200 per pound
- White Stilton Gold – $430 to $450 a pound
- Bitto Storico – $150 per pound
- Extra Old Bitto – $150 per pound
- Rogue River Blue – $40 to $50 per pound
- Beaufort d’Ete – $40 to $50 per pound
- Cacio Bufala – $45 per pound
- Gorau Glas – $20 to $40 per pound
- Caciocavallo Podolico – $50 per pound
- Epoisses by Germain – $45 per pound
What Is The Most Expensive Bite?
Some rare and very expensive cheeses exist in our world. If you ever get the chance to sample them, you’ll be experiencing something truly unique.
Here are 12 of the most expensive cheese money can buy.
Pule
Cheese Price: $600 to $1,000 per pound
You may have heard pule called donkey cheese before. The only way you can make authentic pule cheese is with the milk from donkeys. Not only that, but cheesemakers can only make this specific cheese from donkeys in Serbia.
The rareness and fact you can only create pule cheese in one specific region of the world add to why it’s the most expensive cheese in the world. All the milking is done manually, which takes a lot of time, mainly since female donkeys may only produce a tiny amount of milk per day.
This cheese resembled Spanish Manchego and is crumbly yet soft. If you want to get your hands on legitimate pule cheese, you can expect to pay anywhere from $600 to $1,000 per pound.
Moose Cheese
Cheese Price: $500 per pound
Moose cheese isn’t as expensive as pule, but it’s close. To taste this luxury cheese, you’ll need to travel to the Elk House in the Bjurholm region of Sweden. They produce four types of cheese at the Elk House and make them all from the milk of moose or elk.
They make:
- Feta
- White mold
- Creamy blue cheese
- Dry blue cheese
Something fascinating about how they make this cheese is that they only use three moose to do so. The beloved moose that make this cheese are named Haelga, Juna, and Gullan.
Since there are only three moose they use milk from, the process can take a long time. Unlike massive cheese producers, the Elk House only produces 600 pounds of cheese per year. The cost for their cheese starts at $500 per pound.
Wyke Farms Cheddar
Cheese Price: $200 per pound
Almost everyone loves cheddar cheese. It can be sharp or mild and adds the perfect flavor to nearly every meal. You can find affordable cheddar cheese at the grocery store, but some of the world’s best cheddar cheese is Wyke Farms Cheddar.
Wyke Farms is in the United Kingdom and has been run by the Wykes family since it opened in 1861. Their cheese recipe is top secret, and the formula is kept in a locked safe on the farm property.
Classic cheddar cheese is delicious, but Wyke Farms took this cheese a step farther and infused their traditional cheddar with truffle and gold leaf. While the gold leaf doesn’t add any flavor to the cheese, it makes it gorgeous, and the truffle is a nice touch.
If you want to try this delicious cheddar cheese, you can expect to pay around $200 per pound.
White Stilton Gold
Cheese Price: $430 to $450 a pound
Stilton is the most popular cheese from the British dairy, Long Clawson. They’ve been making cheese in the United Kingdom for about a century.
Initially, people at the Long Clawson developed their White Stilton Gold cheese for Christmas. While it was trendy during the holiday season when Long Clawson first made it, it remains a popular choice for celebrities looking to sample expensive cheese.
If you’re wondering what makes this cheese a holiday favorite, it’s a fact they make it with gold-cinnamon schnapps. So, in addition to the cinnamon flavor, it has actual gold leaf inside, making it delightful.
The unique flavor and combination of schnapps and gold leaf add to the price tag. For those with money burning a hole in their pocket, you need to try this unique cheese at least once. You can purchase this cheese for anywhere from $430 to $450 per pound.
Bitto Storico
Cheese Price: $150 per pound
Next up on the most expensive cheese list is the Bitto Storico. This cheese is possibly the oldest edible cheese on the planet. There are only 12 cheesemakers who currently produce this costly cheese. They still use copper cauldrons as they traditionally did when cheesemakers first made this cheese.
The cheesemakers will age the Bitto Storico cheese for a minimum of ten years. That’s the average age time for this type of cheese, but there have been accounts of this cheese aging for anywhere from 15 to 18 years too.
They make the cheese from 80 to 90% cow milk and then 10 to 20% goat milk. In addition to the ten or more years of aging, this gives its tasty and exceptional flavor. Something unique about this cheese is that you can only find the goats they use in the Bergamo Alps of Northern Italy.
If you’re itching to try this cheese, you won’t be able to find it in your grocery store. You’ll need to travel to Northern Italy and the specific region to find one of the 12 cheesemakers. Bitto Storico costs roughly $150 per pound.
Extra Old Bitto
Cheese Price: $150 per pound
Most of the world’s most expensive cheeses come from somewhere in Europe or the Middle East, but not this one. Extra Old Bitto is produced in Hong Kong. Not only is it one of the most expensive, but it’s one of the oldest. Bitto cheese is aged, but it is even older for this type.
Extra Old Bitto first hit the cheese scene in 1997 and has been a staple in the expensive cheese community ever since. The aging process is what causes the price of this cheese to rise. It’s aged for at least ten years before whiting the market.
The flavor of Extra Old Bitto cheese starts sweeter, but it becomes spicier as it ages. It’s a remarkable flavor you have to try if you ever have the chance.
To get your hands on this fabulous cheese, be prepared to spend around $150 per pound.
Rogue River Blue
Cheese Price: $40 to $50 per pound
Rogue River Blue is a blue cheese that Rogue River Creamery produces. They have several kinds of cheese for you to choose from, but they all fall into the category of blue cheese or cheddar.
The creamery is in Oregon, and even blue cheese skeptics might enjoy it. The flavor of this blue cheese is creamy, smoky, and it’s aged in a pear brandy-soaked barrel. The pear brandy-soaked barrel is what gives this cheese a truly different flavor profile.
Besides the great flavor profile of this cheese, one of the main reasons this is expensive is that it’s a seasonal cheese. They use what is known as raw summer’s milk to produce this cheese, so supply is limited.
If you want to get your hands on Rogue River Blue, you can expect to pay anywhere from $45 to $50 per pound of cheese. A whole wheel from the creamery’s website is $235.
Beaufort d’Ete
Cheese Price: $45 per pound
A lot of expensive cheeses are unique, like moose or donkey cheese. One of the best and most costly gruyères cheese is Beaufort d’Ete. Some people refer to this cheese as the Prince of Gruyères because it’s that tasty.
It’s the perfect melting cheese or cheese to snack on. This yellow cheese has the perfect texture, and they make it from raw cow’s milk. As with other expensive cheeses, only one region in the world can produce an authentic Beaufort d’Ete.
The Savoie region of the French Alps is the only region globally that’s capable of producing this cheese. You can purchase in other parts, but you’ll want to make sure it came from this region before dropping that type of cash.
Compared to other expensive cheeses, this one is affordable. It’s only $45 per pound compared to others that are well over $100.
Cacio Bufala
Cheese Price: $45 per pound
All cheese is creamy, but if you’re looking to taste some of the creamiest cheese in the world, Cacio Bufala may be the one for you to try. Buffalo’s milk has a higher fat concentration than cow’s milk. Therefore, it produces creamier cheeses. Cacio Bufala is made with buffalo milk, making it a very creamy product.
Cacio Bufala has a buttery flavor, and the cheese is semi-hard. You can only find it produced in specific regions of Italy by Casa Madaio because that’s where they age the cheese. It’s aged for only eight to 12 months in caves to preserve as much flavor as possible.
This type of cheese is expensive but still reasonably affordable compared to some other expensive cheeses. You can purchase Cacio Bufala in Italy for around $45 per pound.
Gorau Glas
Cheese Price: $20 to $40 per pound
Gorau Glas is another costly blue cheese. There is only one producer in the world, Caw Gorau Glas Farm in Wales, United Kingdom. In 2002 and 2003, this cheese was acknowledged as some of the most expensive cheese in the UK.
What makes Gorau Glas expensive is that it’s a small-batch cheese, and the labor process to get it just right is labor-intensive. The cheese is a soft blue cheese, and the process it takes to make the cheese is strictly monitored.
The cost for this type of cheese can vary. You can find it as low as $20 per pound or as high s $40 per pound.
Caciocavallo Podolico
Cheese Price: $50 per pound
If you know any Italian, you may be wary of trying this cheese. Caciocavallo Podolico translates to horse cheese, but don’t worry. It’s made with cow’s milk, not from a horse.
They don’t use any old cows to make Caciocavallo Podolico, though. They have to use a scarce breed of cow called Podolica. These cows eat wild berries, strawberries, and other sweet fruits, contributing to the cheese’s delicious flavor.
If you’re interested in sampling this fruity cheese, it’ll cost $50 per pound.
Epoisses by Germain
Cheese Price: $45 per pound
Epoisses by Germain is a beautiful cheese with an orange rind. Some cheese connoisseurs call the cheese complicated for various reasons, but people who’ve tried it love it.
The cheese is a product of Bourgogne, and there are very few cheese producers in the area. In fact, only cheese produced in select areas of the region in France is legally allowed to call their cheese Epoisses by Germain.
The good news is that you don’t need to spend over $100 per pound on this cheese. The average price per pound is $45.
FAQs
If you have burning questions about cheese, here are some of the most frequently asked questions and their answers.
Can you freeze cheese?
Yes, you can. While you can freeze cheese, you should only do it when cheeses that you’re going to cook into dishes. Mozzarella is commonly frozen since it’s on pizza. Some of the worst cheeses you can freeze are Parmesan and Romano.
Is cheese gluten-free?
Most cheese is naturally gluten-free. According to Celiac.com, gluten-free people can eat cheese, including the moldy ones, as long as there are no wheat or other gluten products added to cheese during processing.
Does cheese have carbs?
Some cheeses have carbs, while some don’t. Even those with carbohydrates are usually minimal compared to other foods. When the cheese has carbs, it comes from lactose. Some cheeses that have zero carbs include cheddars, provolone, and Muenster, to name a few.
Is feta goat cheese?
Not usually. Traditionally, those who make feta cheese use sheep’s milk, not goat’s milk. While you can make feta cheese with goat’s milk, more often than not, feta cheese is not goat cheese.
What is American cheese?
Everyone’s seen or heard of those yellow, square slices of American cheese before. American cheese is a processed cheese that first emerged in the 1910s. They make the cheese using a combination of Colby, cheddar, and similar cheeses. It’s easy to melt, which is why people love it for grilled cheeses, and it is very creamy.
Is cottage cheese keto?
Technically, no. While cottage cheese has a high protein content and a decent fat content, it’s higher in carbs than other cheeses. The carb content makes this not ideal for a keto diet.
What to eat with cottage cheese?
Some popular ways people love to eat cottage cheese include:
- With sliced bananas or other fruit
- As a milk substitute for pancakes
- Mix it with nut butter and serve on toast or apples
- Add it to a smoothie for more protein
Is cottage cheese healthy?
Yes! Cottage cheese is healthy. It’s high in protein and is filled with several vital nutrients that the human body needs. When paired with fruit, it makes for a balanced and healthy snack.
Is mozzarella cheese healthy?
Mozzarella cheese is healthy. It has a lower fat and calorie content than other kinds of cheese, making it a healthier option. It also has plenty of probiotics.
What kind of cheese goes on pizza?
Mozzarella is cheese most commonly used on pizza. You can use whatever kind of cheese you want, though.
What is gouda cheese?
Gouda is a cheese people make from cow’s milk. It’s yellow, creamy, and is originally from The Netherlands.
Does parmesan cheese go bad?
Yes. Parmesan cheese will go bad. It can last for months when unopened, but once you’ve opened it, it can stay fresh for about six weeks before starting to go bad.
Summary
While we can get delicious and creamy cheese at the local store for an affordable price, there are plenty of cheeses out there that cost a pretty penny.
From aged cheddars to soft blue cheeses and cheeses made from non-cow milk, expensive cheeses can broaden your horizons and help you learn about the world.
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