Appenzeller® White Label is a Swiss Alpine semi-hard, smear-ripened cheese characterized by raw, silage-free milk enriched with cream to achieve a minimum 55% Fat in Dry Matter, contrasting with 48-50% in standard Appenzeller. Produced in the Appenzell pre-alpine region by decentralized village dairies and matured for 3-4 months, its unique Kräutersulz herbal brine imparts a mild, creamy, and aromatic profile. The high fat content softens texture, enhances flavor retention, and moderates acidity, positioning the White Label as an accessible, meltable cheese favored by Emmi for global markets, bridging traditional Appenzeller complexity with approachability.

Butterkäse by Roth Käse is a semi-soft, washed-curd cow's milk cheese produced in Wisconsin, USA, inspired by a mild German/Austrian style. Made with local, pasteurized, rBST-free milk and microbial (vegetarian) rennet, it is aged about one month to maintain a mild, buttery, and milky flavor with low acidity. It has a creamy, smooth, melt-in-the-mouth texture with ~50% fat in dry matter. Spoilage is indicated by mold, slime, or sour odors. Ideal pairings include Chardonnay, Riesling, light reds, pilsner beer, cured meats, and fruits. The name means “butter cheese,” referring to texture, not content.

Challerhocker, created by Walter Räss in Switzerland’s Toggenburg region post-Swiss Cheese Union, exemplifies the renaissance of Swiss artisan cheese. Made primarily from unskimmed Brown Swiss milk, sometimes influenced by Jersey cows, it undergoes a lengthy cellar aging with homemade rennet and a brine wash that gives it a dense, fudgy texture and complex nutty, savory flavors. Produced at Käserei Tufertschwil from local milk, it is lactose- and gluten-free but not vegetarian. Noted for its unique label and cult status among cheesemongers, Challerhocker is celebrated for both its culinary versatility and artisan craftsmanship.

This report analyzes Murray’s Comté cheese aged by Marcel Petite, highlighting its strict PDO origins in the Jura Massif with Montbéliarde cow milk. The cheese's flavor and texture result from controlled biochemistry, traditional fruitière dairy cooperatives, and Marcel Petite’s slow maturing at Fort Saint-Antoine. Aging varies from 6 to 30+ months, producing profiles from creamy and fruity (“Mélodie”) to complex, umami-rich (“Sagesse”) with tyrosine crystals. Seasonality influences milk composition, affecting flavor and color. Proper storage and serving optimize sensory experience. Pairings with Jura wines, cider, and nuts amplify its nuanced aromas, showcasing terroir, microbiology, and artisanal craftsmanship.

Fontina Naturalpina by Formaggi Ciresa S.r.l. is a semi-cooked, semi-soft Fontal cheese from Lombardy’s Valsassina valley, made with pasteurized cow’s milk from the plains. Unlike Fontina PDO, it uses animal rennet and lysozyme (from egg whites) to prevent spoilage linked to silage feeding. It ages 30-90 days in humid, cool conditions, developing a sweet, buttery, nutty flavor with a brown, treated, non-edible rind. Its high moisture (~40-45%) grants excellent melting properties, making it ideal for dishes like fondue. Ciresa’s aging expertise and controlled processing ensure consistent quality and flavor.

Grand Cru Reserve by Emmi Roth in Monroe, Wisconsin, is an award-winning Alpine-style cheese inspired by Swiss Gruyère. Made from 100% cultured pasteurized cow's milk and microbial (vegetarian) rennet, it is aged at least 6 months on spruce boards in imported copper vats. The semi-hard cheese has a firm, compact pale yellow paste with small "pea holes," and features a robust nutty, earthy, and mellow flavor profile with floral and fruity notes. Its use of pasteurization and vegetarian rennet adapts traditional Alpine methods while ensuring accessibility to vegetarians.

Murray’s Cave Aged Gruyère is an authentic Le Gruyère AOP raw cow’s milk cheese from Western Switzerland, matured for 12 months—initially in Swiss caves, then in Murray’s New York facilities. It features a dense texture with tyrosine crystals and flavors of toasted hazelnuts, brown butter, and fruity acidity. Production follows strict AOP rules: cows fed no silage, use of traditional calf rennet, and cooking curd at ~57°C. It’s a hard, washed-rind Alpine cheese with a unique sensory complexity and is safe due to long aging and cooking. Ideal pairings include dry Riesling, Pinot Noir, brown ales, and charcuterie.

Roth Havarti is a Danish-style, semi-soft, washed-curd cheese produced in Monroe, Wisconsin, using pasteurized rBST-free cow’s milk from local farms. It employs microbial (vegetarian) rennet and is aged about 2 months. The washed-curd process reduces acidity, yielding a mild, buttery, creamy flavor with small mechanical "eyes." It has 45–55% moisture, a pliable texture, and excellent meltability. Roth’s version is an American artisanal adaptation, not covered by the EU’s Danish PGI. Packaged rindless, it’s gluten-free and known for a clean, lactic sweetness. Spoilage signs include pink discoloration, ammonia odor, slime, or off-odors.

Roth Käse Havarti with Dill is a semi-soft, creamy, buttery cow's milk cheese produced in Monroe, Wisconsin. It uses pasteurized, rBST-free milk from local dairy farms and microbial rennet, making it vegetarian-friendly. The cheese features lactic sweetness balanced by savory dill and has a mild acidic finish with an elastic, open texture due to washed curd processing and 45-55% moisture. Aged typically 2-3 months, it is rindless and highly meltable. While "Havarti" holds Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in the EU, it is generic in the U.S. Spoilage signs include pink defect, unwanted molds, sliminess, or ammonia odors.

Jarlsberg® is a semi-soft, sweet, nutty cheese developed in Norway in the 1950s by Professor Ole Martin Ystgaard, merging Alpine Swiss and Dutch washed-curd techniques into a "Goutaler" hybrid. It uses milk primarily from Norwegian Red cattle, known for quality and low antibiotic residues, ensuring consistent texture and flavor via proprietary starter cultures dominated by *Propionibacterium freudenreichii*. Jarlsberg's production is trademark-protected, allowing licensed manufacturing in Norway, Ireland, and the USA while maintaining its signature microbiological and sensory profile. It undergoes a three-phase aging process producing its distinct eyes and flavor, excelling in melting and culinary versatility.

Kaltbach Emmentaler by Emmi is a 12-month, raw-milk, cave-aged Emmentaler AOP from Switzerland’s Emme river valley, aged in the unique, humid Kaltbach sandstone cave. Made from grass-fed cow’s milk using animal rennet, its firm yet creamy texture and complex nutty, earthy flavors are enhanced by the cave’s microflora. It features iconic holes and Tyrosine crystals (“tears of joy”). Not vegetarian but naturally lactose-free, it pairs well with wines, beer, and foods like dried apricots and nuts. Serve at room temperature. Store properly; avoid spoilage and cut to include both rind and center.

The Maple Leaf Cheese Cooperative of Monroe, Wisconsin, produces a distinct Monterey Jack cheese characterized by its washed-curd process, high moisture content (40-44%), and mild, buttery flavor. Founded in 1910, the farmer-owned cooperative embodies local terroir from the Driftless Area and emphasizes quality through the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker® program. The cheese is kosher-certified, uses microbial rennet, and is lactose-free due to lactose removal in production. Despite a 2020 supply chain crisis, the cooperative remains a benchmark artisan producer, offering various flavored variants like Pepper Jack, and distributing nationally through retail, food service, and direct sales.

Muenster Enchilado by Queso Campesino is a semi-soft, cow's milk cheese made in Colorado, USA. It combines American Muenster cheese's mild, creamy texture with a spiced paprika-coated rind, reflecting Mexican "Enchilado" style. Made from pasteurized whole milk and traditional animal rennet, it ages 2-8 weeks and meets FDA standards for moisture and fat. The cheese melts well, suiting dishes like quesadillas and enchiladas. It features a mild, buttery interior with a savory, slightly piquant rind. Pairings include aromatic white wines, light reds, Mexican lagers, and malty ales. The bright orange rind is edible and flavorful.

Zanetti Provolone Valpadana DOP Piccante is a semi-hard Italian cheese distinguished by its piquant flavor, derived from kid or lamb rennet paste that initiates lipolysis releasing volatile fatty acids. Produced primarily in Cremona within the Po River Valley, it carries EU PDO certification ensuring origin and traditional methods. Zanetti S.p.A., an industrial leader, uses pasteurized milk for export consistency and safety. The cheese undergoes a stretching (pasta filata) process, shaped into traditional forms, and aged at least 90 days. It has high protein and fat, is naturally lactose- and gluten-free, and pairs well with full-bodied reds, sparkling wines, beers, and sweet accompaniments.

Raclette by Murray's is a semi-soft, washed-rind Alpine cheese from Switzerland, produced by Emmi in Lucerne using pasteurized cow’s milk and vegetal (microbial) rennet, making it vegetarian-friendly. Unlike traditional raw milk Raclette du Valais AOP, this version uses pasteurization for safety and consistent flavor. Aged 3-6 months, it has 40-45% moisture, a nutty, milky, fruity profile with mild pungency, and melts to a creamy, viscous texture. Typical food pairings include potatoes and cured meats; wine and beer pairings highlight acidic whites, light reds, and saisons. The rind is edible, and inherent ammonia or tackiness is normal.

Beemster Swiss is a Dutch Maasdam-style, semi-firm Alpine cheese, milder and creamier than Swiss Emmental, with nutty and fruity notes. Produced in the UNESCO-protected Beemster Polder from grass-fed cows’ milk by a farmer-owned cooperative, it’s pasteurized and uses vegetarian microbial rennet. Aged at least 60 days, it has a buttery texture, “eyes,” and smooth, mellow flavor. Its rind is not edible. It melts well, making it ideal for fondue, sandwiches, and grilled cheese. Suitable pairings include light wines, lagers, cider, and fruit. Store wrapped in paper; bring to room temperature before serving.

Whitney is a raw cow milk Raclette-style cheese from Jasper Hill Farm in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, emphasizing a "Taste of Place" philosophy tied to local geology, climate, and microbiota. Made exclusively from the Andersonville Herd’s raw milk, it uses traditional "Sax Rennet" and is aged 3–6 months in specialized cellars. It has a semi-firm, velvety texture with 38–42% moisture, designed for melting without breaking. Its complex flavor profile includes toasted nuts, cured ham, and fruity rind notes enhanced by a wine lees brine. Whitney won Best in Show at the 2022 American Cheese Society Competition, highlighting its artisanal quality and terroir-driven identity.