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.)
• Bruder Basil: Bruder Basil is made in the tradition of Rauchkase, a smoked cheese typical of the region. Named after a man, not an herb, this specialty was originally produced by Trappist Monks in the abbey of Rotthalmunster. It is smoked over select beechwood embers, a process that lends Bruder Basil its unique flavor. (8 oz.)
• Piave Vecchio: Aged Piave is more intense, with a full-bodied flavor and developed character. A connoisseur's cheese. (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.

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.

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.

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.
  

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.

Is it a trick or a treat? This depends on who you present it to. A definite treat for the adventurous cheese connoisseur, but a trick to the timid. Each cheese in the assortment offers an unusual color and a bold, unique flavor.

• Huntsman: Huntsman is the marriage of two delicious British classics, Double Gloucester and Blue Stilton, brought together through a complex layering process. (8 oz.)
• Cheddar with Thai Curry: While it might sound like an unusual combination, the sharp English cheddar easily carries the savory, spicy flavor of the curry. The spices used are coriander, turmeric, salt, allspice, ginger, fenugreek, garlic, pepper, cumin, and bay leaves. (8 oz.)
• Basiron Pesto: Basiron is a creamy-tasting, gouda-style Dutch cheese jazzed up with pesto. Perfectly balanced and extremely addictive! (8 oz.)
• Aged Mimolette: A French version of Edam, it is bright orange in color and sweet in flavor. Slice thinly. (8 oz.)
• Charcoal Crackers:Tasty black crackers designed by the cheese gurus from The Fine Cheese Co. in England. (5.3 oz.)

Please note that any item temporarily out of stock will be substituted with another "scary" cheese 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.

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 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.

Everyone loves this mild natural cheese with the traditional red rind. Muenster is perfect for using in cooked dishes because it is one of the best melting cheeses available. Net wt. 3lb.

Made from fresh milk of free-ranging sheep and goats. This feta cheese is made during months when grasses are green for a sweet flavor. No antibiotics are given the animals. Mt. Vikos contains no preservatives, additives, or calcium chlorid e. Authentic traditional feta from Greece is very rare in the USA. This is outstanding feta cheese. Mt. Vikos Sheep & Goat?s Milk Feta is made in a traditional manner by a small family dairy in central Greece.

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.

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.

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.

This cheese has a slightly misleading name as it has nothing to do with the county of Shropshire. In fact, it originated in Scotland in the 1920s before its production was transferred to Leicestershire. Shropshire Blue came about from a man named Dennis Biggins, who actually made his living grading another famously orange cheese, Cheshire. Made in a similar way to Stilton, it is a soft cheese with a sharp, strong flavor that takes between six to eight weeks to mature. Orange in color with blue veining, it enjoys a slightly tangy aroma. A delicious accompaniment to Shropshire Blue worth trying is a simple cup of tea - making it ideal for an afternoon or early evening snack. Made from pasteurized cow's milk. Suitable for vegetarians. 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.

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

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

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.

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

Bel Paese, which is Italian for "Beautiful Country" has a mild buttery flavor and a light, milky aroma. It melts beautifully and is often used as a substitute for mozzarella. It can also be used as a snack or dessert cheese and is popularly paired with fruity wines.

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.

The secret to Point Reyes Original BlueTM lies in its unique combination of three ingredients. First, grade A unpasteurized milk is taken from a closed herd of Holstein cows that graze on the green pastured hills overlooking Tomales Bay, California. Next, the coastal fog and salty Pacific breezes common to Point Reyes, California conspire in lending the cheese a unique character. Finally, time influences the recipe too. Original BlueTM is made within hours of milking, and then ages for a minimum of six months. The result? A creamier style, full-flavored blue cheese with definite hints of lemongrass and sea salt. For those of us who have fallen in love with Maytag Blue, sample Point Reyes Original BlueTM for a familiar yet distinctly different experience!

• Made from unpasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 6 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.

Named after the farm on which it was first made in the mid 1800s, Havarti has a supple texture and a buttery aroma and is often referred to as the Danish tilsit because of its similarity to that cheese. Its flavor is sweet and mellow with a sprinkle of caraway. This table cheese is popularly matched with lesser-oaked or light-bodied wines and occasionally accompanied with figs, pears and walnuts.

Blue Stilton is full, rich and creamy. Its blue veins speckle from a natural, crinkly brown crust, revealing a soft creamy body with cheddary flavors.

Covered with forests and pastures and crossed by numerous rivers, the countryside of Chimay has always been a livestock-rearing area, and dairy herds mean cheese! Since 1876, the Trappist monks of Scourmont have known the secrets of making this semi-hard cheese made from milk from their farm and matured in the vaulted cellars of the abbey. Chimay Grand Cru is a semi-hard pressed cheese. The rind is natural, non-coloured, without preservatives and slightly flowery. After maturing for six weeks, its creaminess and fine taste of good, fresh, creamy milk give it all its flavor.

• Made from pasteurized (scalded) cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 5 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.

Our mild young Manchego has a very smooth flavor. Packaged in a handy 2 lb. wheel, this Manchego is small enough to handle and big enough to share. This quality cheese has Queso Manchego D.O. seal of authenticity, attesting to its high quality. Because this young cheese has been cured only 30 to 90 days, it is fresh and mild. Serve slices or wedges of this pleasant cheese as tapas or snacks with olives, accompanied by sherry, beer or sangría. It is also great served as a light dessert accompanied by traditional membrillo -- quince preserve -- fig wheels, fresh fruit or honey.

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.

Unlike typical French blue cheeses made from ewe's milk, Roaring Forties Blue Cheese is made from cow's milk which gives it a milder taste. Roaring Forties is a full bodied blue with a honeyed, slightly nutty quality and great aftertaste. It is a rindless cheese, matured in wax, which helps it retain moisture and creates a smooth and creamy texture.

Fontina originates in the Val d'Aosta region of Italy in the Alps near the French and Swiss borders. Fontina is a smooth, cow's milk cheese with a nutty, earthy, mushroomy, flavor, with a hint of mild honey.

Produced in the Po Valley near Treviso, Asiago Pressato is a milder, sweeter Asiago with a springy, pale interior. It is classified as an Italian DOC (Denominiazione di Origine Controllata) cheese, meaning that it is protected by governmental standards regarding the cheese's origin and techniques. Made from pasteurized whole milk and aged for 20 to 40 days, this young cheese has a full, creamy flavor. We suggest enjoying Pressato with crusty Italian bread and a glass of Pinot Grigio!

• Made from pasteurized cow's milk.
• Photo depicts whole 25 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.

Named after a town in East Prussia, Tilsit was invented by homesick Dutch immigrants trying to recreate Gouda. Due to various factors, they were unable to recreate their beloved cheese. What they did create was a brand new cheese they named Tilsit. Tilsit is made from partially skimmed pasteurized cow's milk and is semi-firm with a springy texture, dotted with irregularly spaced tiny holes. It was traditionally made in large wheels, but is now made in loaf form, making it easier to slice (the way it is generally eaten). The rind is washed and brushed regularly for the first two months of aging to form an outer crust that keeps its supple, smooth interior from drying out. Tilsit has a mildly pungent aroma and a tangy taste that is delicate and fruity with spicy undertones. This German favorite is excellent on sandwiches, cold or grilled. It is also great on chicken or burgers, and also can be enjoyed melted over potatoes.

• 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 form.

The Italian Bel Paese is made in smallish discs with a thin shiny rind. The paste has an ivory color with a few small holes. It is too firm to spread but a little too soft to slice well. It has a milky, buttery aroma and a gently buttery flavor with a slight tang to it. This rather bland gourmet cheese was created by the Galbani cheese family in the early part of the twentieth century to compete with the soft French cheeses. The label of the cheese depicts a map of Italy and a face of a young priest with a book called Bel Paese (beautiful country). We cut and wrap this cheese in wedges of 8 ounces and 1 pound.