Choosing from over 850 of our cheeses can be a daunting task, even for the most accomplished cheese connoisseur. While we all have our traditional favorites, there is something special about discovering a great new cheese. And, the best way to experience a new cheese is to try it. For those of you looking to expand your cheese repertoire, we have crafted a four cheese sampler from four continents of some little-known gems to serve at your next get-together. This assortment includes:

• Volendam (Europe): If you are a gouda lover, then Volendam is a must have! Inspired by the scenic Dutch fishing village of the same name, Volendam has a butterfat content of 55%. (8 oz.)
• Hard Grana Provolone (South America): Originally from Lombardia, Italy, this cheese was brought by Italian immigrants to Argentina. The cheese is recognized by its particular pear shape. During the aging stage, the cheese is hung (wrap and secure with a rope). This hard Provolone cheese develops a sharp, piquant flavor with age. (8 oz)
• Great Ocean Road Cheddar (Australia): This sharp white cheddar hails from Australia, where it joins Stokes Point and Mainland Cheddar as a new favorite from down under. (8 oz.)
• Atalanta Blue (North America): Atalanta is the Greek goddess of hunt, travel, and adventure. The name Atalanta is thus appropriate for this new blue cheese from Wisconsin. It's a bold cheese that took several years to perfect. Enjoy it crumbled over salads, stirred into sauces, or on crackers. (8 oz.)Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal or greater value.
  

After presenting at food shows across the country, we found a handful of crowd favorites that never cease to elicit a wow response from the guys. These cheeses are big and bold, perfect for snacking on whenever hunger calls. If you want to treat your favorite man to a sample of gourmet food (and what better gift for a guy?), these four cheeses are sure to satisfy! This assortment includes:

• Red Leaf Cheddar: The result of 150 years of cheddar-making experience, aged over 12 months, this Canadian cheddar is soft on the palate, yet bursts with a tangy finish. (8 oz.)
• Whiskey Blue:Whiskey Blue is aged with bourbon whiskey, which adds a smoky flavor. A spectacular unpasteurized Wisconsin Blue makes up the base of this cheese, which is then repeated washed down with sweet, smooth bourbon. (8 oz.)
• Rauchkase: This specialty was originally produced by Trappist Monks in the abbey of Rotthalmunster. It is smoked over select beechwood embers, a process that lends the cheese its unique flavor. (8 oz.)
• Beemster Classic Extra Aged Gouda: Ripened for a full 18 months to develop a nutty, caramel-like flavor, this is the Gouda the Dutch keep for themselves! It is always a crowd pleaser. (8 oz.)

Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal or greater value.

This item is not packaged as a gift. If you would like the gift packaged version of this item, please click here.

For centuries, Clotted Cream has been an essential element in a great British tradition -- High Tea. Spoon it over fresh scones or tea cakes already spread with strawberry jam, accompanied by a pot of piping hot tea. With a butterfat content of 55%, Clotted Cream has a supple, buttery flavor that is not overpowered by the flavor of the jam. Made in a traditional manner, Clotted Cream from Devonshire is a natural and delicious source of Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamins A, B12 and D, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Zinc. Available for the first time in the United States, we know you will you enjoy our Clotted Cream.Must be consumed within 5 days after opening

Imported from Brittany, France, these caramels are seductive buttery treats made from whole milk, natural butter and authentic fleur de sel (special sea salt). Rich in minerals and low in sodium, they are a healthy indulgence that please both young and old. Each caramel is individually wrapped and hand packed in an attractive round, wooden box. Ideal as a hostess gift, party favor or personal reward, these sweets are the crème de la crème of the candy world.

Originating in historical Limburg, which is now divided between modern-day Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, this cheese is often associated with its pungent aroma. It has a creamy textured body and strong slightly bitter flavor. It is oft en served on rye bread with onions. This cheese is sold in 6 ounce bricks.

Until the 19th Century this perennial favorite was known as Valais. Taking its modern name from the French verb racler (to scrape), Raclette is now one of the most popular mountain cheeses worldwide. Made from whole, unpasteurized cow's milk, this raclette is typically aged three to four months. Smoother than gruyere, Raclette has a creamy and supple texture with fruity undertones that intensify when melted. A little firmer than its French counterpart, our Swiss Raclette is great served with Bunderfleisch or cured ham. Traditionally served with kirsch or beer.

• Made from unpasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts half of a 10 lb. wheel.
• We cut and wrap this item by the pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

The history of Douwe Egberts starts in 1753, when a husband and wife opened The White Ox, a gourmet shop, in the North of Holland. Their offerings focused on coffee, tea and tobacco-- products that were imported from the Far East and traded in Amsterdam. Sales grew rapidly and soon Douwe Egberts started a wholesaling and distribution business. They built their first coffee roasting plant in 1919 and began exporting their premium quality coffee in 1930. By 1960, Douwe Egberts accounted for more than half of Dutch coffee exports. Few coffees can match the heady power and richness of this popular blend.

Just thinking about this assortment of four half-pound cuts of wonderful Dutch cheeses makes our mouths water. The Dutch are world famous for their cheesemaking prowess and these selections will show you why.

• Extra Aged Gouda: Ripened for a full 18 months to develop a nutty, caramel-like flavor, this is the Gouda the Dutch keep for themselves! It is always a crowd pleaser.
• Leyden: Dotted with cumin seeds, it is the rye bread of the cheese world. Wonderfully firm texture.
• Dorothea: A real specialty and an igourmet.com exclusive, this wonderful goat's milk cheese flavored with potato skins and basil oil will send your taste buds into fits of pleasure! Even people who claim to dislike goat cheeses love this one.
• Maasdam: Originally created in Norway, then perfected in Holland, Maasdam is Dutch for baby swiss. This cheese offers a sweet, nutty flavor with a wonderfully tangy aftertaste.

This assortment ships with one half-pound of each cheese selection.

Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal value.

This item is not packaged as a gift. If you would like the gift packaged version of this item please click here.

Murrays Bridge is a bustling city in southern Australia, and it's there that the Murray Bridge Cheese Co. produces this dry, tangy Aussie Jack. This Monterey Jack-style cheese has lacy holes, a tangy pleasant flavor, and melts wonderfully on the grill or in sauces. Made of whole milk that is never treated with rBGH, ensure pristine quality. If you're tired of lackluster jacks from your local market, this Aussie Jack is sure to please!

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 44 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

A spicy, yet savory cheese. The Italian choice for cheese. Used as a grating cheese for all pasta dishes or can just be served as an antipasto with bread and olives.

Chimay Trappiste comes from a Cistercian Abbey in Belgium where Trappist monks produce a cow's milk cheese that is then washed with their famous Chimay beer. This mild, semi-soft cheese has a nutty flavor with a slight hint of hops and malt , and a strong aroma.

The extraordinary flavor of mature Stilton comes from careful aging for a minimum of three months. This mature Stilton is a pure table (eating) cheese; it is too precious and delicious to submerge in a dressing or dip.

Caciotta Al Tartufo: This pecorino is umptuous with a distinct mushroomy aroma and taste brought about by the black truffles dotted throughout it.

Auricchio Provolone cheese is made from the kneading and streching of cow's milk curd. However, Auricchio Provolone is the preferred provolone throughout Italy and the rest of the world. Perfect for pizza's, sandwiches, or just a snack.

Humboldt Fog is one of the American beauties when it comes to cheeses. Mary Keens at Cypress Grove, California, is the creator of this young goat's milk cheese with its impressive appearance and superior flavor. The texture is creamy and luscious with a subtle tangy flavor. Each handcrafted wheel features a ribbon of edible vegetable ash along its center and a coating of ash under its exterior to give it a distinctive, cake-like appearance. The edible ash comes from the burning of the White pine tree. The molds are half-filled, then sprinkled with a lager of salt and ash and then the molds are topped with remaining curds. The wheels are also coated with the same ash before they develop the bloomy white rind. When Humboldt is ripe it is creamy under the rind and firm in the center. The flavor will be mild and balanced, not particularly goaty. We cut and wrap this gourmet cheese in pieces of 8 ounces or 1 pound.

The name is a bit corny, but at least it's accurate. Chevrelait, pronounced like the American car company, is the combination of the French words "Chevre" - meaning "goat", and "Lait" - meaning "milk". We discovered this brand new smoked goat's milk cheese while in Holland not too long ago. Similar in looks to Dutch Smoked Gouda, it is a log-shaped cheese with an edible brown rind and a pale white interior. That is where the similarity ends, however, as Chevrelait tastes decidedly "goaty". If you like the taste of traditional chevre, you'll find Chevrelait to be a familiar, yet unique alternative.

• Made from pasteurized processed goat's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 4 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

Havarti cheese is partly inspired by the Tilsit cheese, which was developed in the 1870's in Tilsit, a town in East Prussia. In year 1900 the Tilsit cheese was imported into Denmark;the Danes did not like the taste, but the product was a great export success. In 1952 the size of the cheese and the method of production were changed. The new cheese type was named Havarti. The name Havarti was chosen to commemorate Mrs. Hanne Nielsen and her husband for their great contribution in the area of cheese production, which they practiced at their farm in the previous century. The farm was called 'Havartigaard', which means The Havarti Farm. The Havarti gourmet cheese has a supple and creamy paste with masses of tiny eyes. The flavor is usually exceedingly mild but it strengthens a little as it matures. Denmarks Finest Havarti brand is a true authentic imported Danish Havarti. It is rich in tradition and has always had the best quality available. We sell 3 distinct flavors that all can be sliced for breakfast or use in sandwiches or on cheese platters; caraway seeds, jalapeno, and dill. All are cut and wrapped in pieces of approximately 6 ounces.

This sensational assortment contains four of our most sensual cheeses. It is the perfect collection to kick off a romantic evening for two. Our Romantic Cheese Assortment includes the following:

• Brillo Pecorino DiVino: This cheese from Tuscany is made from pure sheep's milk and seasoned with wine. Perfect before or after the meal. (8 oz.)
• Chocolate Capri: From Massachusetts, this 100% goat's milk cheese is made with pure cocoa. The pairing is harmonious! It tastes like a super creamy fudge. (5 oz.)
• White Stilton with Mango and Ginger: Our favorite White Stilton variety, the mango and ginger flavors set this delightful cheese apart. Serve it chilled after the meal with a delicate dessert wine. (8 oz.)
• Saint Andre: This soft ripened triple cream is an amazingly rich and creamy cheese that is made from fresh cow's milk and enriched with pure cream.(7 oz.)

• Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal value.

This item is not packaged as a gift. If you would like the gift packaged version of this item please click here.

The Dutch have been producing hand-made farmhouse Goudas for many centuries. Due to Holland's fertile soil and lush green pastures, its cows produce unusually rich milk which, in turn, leads to extra creamy cheeses. Gouda is the most famous of Dutch cheeses and is made from whole milk only. This semi-soft cheese has a creamy, yellow body with irregular holes and a natural yellow rind. For export, Goudas are always coated in red wax. But we have brought in a shipment of yellow waxed Gouda, the product intended for the European market, so you can enjoy the same rich Dutch Gouda that is enjoyed in its homeland.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole 24 lb. form.

About 100 years ago, a farmer's wife who lived in North Zealand (one of Denmark's most romantic islands -- a trysting place for lovers) became interested in the art of cheesemaking. She traveled through Europe to learn the secrets of this craft. Upon her return, she began to experiment with her newly acquired techniques. She named her finest creation after her farm, "Havarthi". Today's Cream Havarti is a direct descendant. It has an ivory interior patterned with a myriad of tiny holes and is mild, creamy and mellow. We are featuring five of our favorite varieties: garlic and herb, dill, jalapeno, caraway and chive. Varieties sold separately.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 9 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

The Brie is a soft cheese with an unwashed rind. After an affinage of eight weeks, it has a fine rind dotted with orange spots and a smooth, pleasantly fragrant consistency. With its creamy texture and distinctive flavor, it is the most prized and celebrated of all French cheeses. Pairs well with a red Bordeaux.

With Roquefort's fine, milky-white body veined with emerald green, and its well-balanced flavor, this cheese has been appreciated for generations. The secret of Roquefort's manufacture lies in the cellars built in the 17th century. Thanks to the fleurines that allow the air to circulate in the cellars, Société's master cheese-makers are able to maintain the relative humidity near to saturation point. These are the ideal conditions for the development of the subtle and unequalled flavor of Roquefort Société.

In accordance with the AOC Roquefort regulations, the production of Roquefort requires whole, raw sheep's milk. In order to be used in Roquefort production, this milk must come from within the Roquefort region, and from the ewe's of the Lacaune breed. Roquefort Société is delicious on a baguette, salad, or melted on a steak. Enjoy with your favorite bottle of Sauternes for a delicious ending to any memorable meal.

• Made from unpasteurized sheep's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 3 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

Roaring Forties Blue Cheese is made by the Kings Island Dairy, on an island just north of Tasmania, Australia. The cheese is named after the infamous Roaring Forties gales which frequently bring westerly winds of more than 100 kms per hour to the island which lies on 40 degrees latitude. This gourmet cheese is a handcrafted cow's milk cheese made from milk from Australian cows. The Roaring Forties Blue is a full flavored blue with a sweet, mild, creamy and slightly nutty character, a rich mouth feel and good aftertaste. The rindless cheese is matured in its thick darkblue wax coating, which cuts off the oxygen supply, promoting its sweet and fruity flavor. The wax also assists in retaining the blue's moisture, creating a smooth and creamy texture. The most recent award the Roaring Forties Blue received was the 2006 Champion at the Annual British Empire Cheese Show in Ontario, Canada. We cut and wrap this cheese in wedges of 8 ounces and 1 pound.

White Stilton with Mango and Ginger is a delicious dessert cheese. The mild White Stilton Cheese is a young distant relative of the famous Blue Stilton. The addition of pieces of mango and spicy ginger to the crumbliness of the refreshing stilton cheese is something you need to try as you may be surprised. We sell and wrap this cheese in 10-ounce wedges or you can buy a half moon cheese of approximately 2.5 pounds.

igourmet.com is saluting blue cheese by offering this International Blue Cheese Assortment, containing four of the world's greatest blue cheeses. For creating blue cheese in the first place, we owe thanks to a micro-organism named penicillium roqueforti. This microscopic spore attaches itself to a young cheese and, assuming the cheese is laced with small cracks, multiplies and spreads blue mold throughout as the cheese matures. By the way, this little microbe is also the principal agent used in creating penicillin, the world's first antibiotic. And now, back to the cheese...

• Roaring Forties: A modern blue from King Island, Australia. We are astounded by its creamy, delicious flavor every time we sample it. (8 oz)
• Regina Blue: This new specialty from German Cheesemaker Paladin has an extremely mild and creamy flavor. Its extravagant richness is due to the fact that the cheese has a 65% fat content. (8 oz)
• Mountain Gorgonzola: With its white interior laced with streaks of blue, Mountain Gorgonzola is an attractive table cheese and a savory ingredient in your favorite salad. Or- try it the Italian way - on a plate drizzled with honey. (8 oz)
• Fourme d'Ambert: This AOC (name controlled) creamy blue cheese is a lovely French treasure. Fourme d'Ambert is cave-aged for a minimum of two months, made from raw cow's milk and has a tremendous, creamy, full-bodied flavor. (8 oz)

• Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal value.

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When you think of the finest red wines in the world, you often are thinking of wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon. This grand grape is the basis for most of California's superb red wines as well as the predominant grape used for blending in France's famed Bourdeaux's. Flavor characteristics often include deep cherry, currant, mint and tobacco.

• Aged Mimolette: This very special semi-soft cheese comes from the Asiago region of the Italian Alps. A cheese that is easy to fall in love with, Trugole's fruity character is the result of rich milk from Alpine cows that graze on wild foliage and grasses in mountain meadows. The uniqueness of Trugole impressed us in both its flavor and texture when paired with Cabernet.
• San Joaquin Gold: This is a new artisan cheese made by Fiscalini Farms of Modesto, California. It is semi-hard with a natural rind and a sweet, salty, buttery taste. Made from unpasteurized milk from Fiscalini's own herd of 1400 Holstein cows, it is a wonderful cheese for snacking, but can also be used as a topping for soups or salads.
• Smokey Blue: Rogue Creamery's "Oregon Blue" is the first blue cheese recipe made on the west coast and they thought it only fitting that this classic recipe become the first blue cheese ever smoked. The result is magic when paired with Cabernet! "Oregon Blue" is a classic Roquefort style blue cheese made with unpasteurized cow's milk that is cold smoked 16 hours with Oregon Hazelnut shells.

Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with a similar item of equal or greater value.

This item is not packaged as a gift. If you would like the gift packaged version of this item please click here.

Myron Olson has been crafting cheese for over 30 years and is the manager of Chalet, the only cheese factory in the United States still producing Limburger cheese. He is a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker, certified first in Limburger. "There are still plenty of people who appreciate a full-flavored cheese," he says. Myron's Limbuger is a semi-soft cheese with origins from Belgium. Limburger is a pungent smelling, surface-ripened cheese that pairs well with hearty rye breads and even a slice of onion.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.

The geographical region encompassing the former country of Flanders contains two Belgian provinces, present-day Nord (France), and the southern part of Zeeland (Holland) known as Zeeuws-Vlaanderen ("Sealandic Flanders"). This area is very well known for flax, a useful flowering plant that grows wild throughout Europe, but is especially abundant in Flanders. Famous throughout history, flax was used by the ancient Egyptian and Roman civilizations to make paper and linen. Today it is still used to make linseed oil and printing ink.

The recipe for this cheese from Zeeuws-Vlaanderen dates back many centuries. Its name means "Flax Cheese", owing not to an ingredient but to the plant that dominates the local countryside. Still made in an old-fashioned manner, in the Middle Ages it was quite popular and always served at the annual oogstfeest (Flemish harvest festival). Similar to Gouda but richer, creamier and deeper yellow in color, Vlaskaas' purple rind distinguishes it from all other cheeses.

Gold medal winner at the 2004 World Championship Cheese Contest.

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 8 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

From the same company that makes our ever-popular P'tit Basque, comes Istara. The generic name for this cheese is Ossau-Iraty, which refers to two rivers in the Basque region of France - the homeland of this spectacularly delicious cheese. Also called Brebis Pyrenees, which is simply French for Sheep Cheese from the Pyrenees, Istara has a smooth, slightly oily texture and a wonderfully sweet flavor with hints of olive, hazelnut and fig. Aged for 90 days.

• Made from pasteurized sheep's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 9 lb. form of cheese.
• We cut and wrap this item by the 1/2 pound.
• Please contact us if you would like to purchase the whole form.

Huntsman, or Stilchester cheese is a combination of layered English Double Gloucester cheddar and Stilton (English Blue cheese).This creamy, cow's milk cheese is a modern marriage of two classics.