Stichelton

Producer: Stichelton Dairy

Location: Welbeck, Nottinghamshire

Style: Blue

Milk Type: Cow

Milk Treatment: Unpasteurised

Tasting Notes: Biscuity, fudgy, salty

Vegetarian: No

Stichelton is a traditional raw milk English blue cheese made by Joe Schneider at the Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire.

It was created with Randolph Hodgson of Neal’s Yard Dairy as an attempt to revive the style of raw milk Stilton that disappeared when the Stilton specification moved to pasteurised milk.

Because Stilton must legally be made using pasteurised milk, the cheese cannot be called Stilton — hence the name Stichelton.

What does Stichelton taste like?

Rich, creamy and complex, with mellow blue flavours, savoury depth and an earthy, almost meaty character towards the rind.

The blue itself should complement the cheese rather than overpower it.

Who would enjoy Stichelton?

If you already love Stilton and want to explore something more complex, Stichelton is absolutely worth trying.

It’s also fascinating for anyone interested in traditional British cheesemaking and raw milk cheese.

How to serve Stichelton

Serve at room temperature with simple bread or oatcakes and let the cheese do the talking.

Port works beautifully, but so does a dark beer, cider or a sweet dessert wine.

Stephen’s Take

“Stichelton is the blue I tend to steer proper cheese obsessives towards.

It has the familiarity of Stilton but there’s more going on — more depth, more variation and more character. It’s one of those cheeses where I always end up eating the bit close to the rind as well.”

— Stephen, Founder of George & Joseph Cheesemongers