Sliced Cheddar

Low Low Red Cheddar  €3.59 for 200g, €17.95 per kg

This is probably the most wholesome option if you plan on eating a lot of cheese and are concerned about the fat content, of the cheese or yourself. If taste, however, is your primary concern (as it is ours), than this might not be the one you’d instantly reach for. It is not bad by any means – none of the options we tried this week are – but it does lack the sharpness we would expect to have found in a really good cheddar and was on the bland side. It is also the most expensive of the brands we tried.

Verdict: Not bad at all ***

Kilmeaden  €3.69 for 230g, €16.04 per kg

Does it matter that this has been hand sliced? Kilmeaden thinks so, as it is writ large on the front of the packaging. They’ve also gone big on the whole Kilmeaden business, even though the only address we could find on the pack was City West and the cheese is made in Kilkenny. It tastes great, with robust flavours that the others struggle to compete with. It has a nice saltiness and is wonderfully tangy. The slices are very thick cut and sit well in a sandwich which makes us think the hand-cutting might have given it an edge after all.

Verdict: Hard to fault ****

Dubliner Red Original  €2.89 for 200g, €14.45 per kg

Once we got over the shock of learning that Dubliner cheese is made in Cork we were able to concentrate on the taste and texture, neither of which was bad. Neither was great either, mind you. The slices were very dry, almost flaky, and it was somewhat lacking in flavour. While this would do a sandwich absolutely no harm, it is unlikely to play a starring role either. The company does deserve a special mention for being the cheapest a nd for designing a resealable pack that is actually, you know, resealable.

Verdict:Just a bit bland ***

Charleville Mature Red Cheddar €3.19 for 200g, €15.95 per kg

This cheese nearly matches the Kilmeadan in terms of flavour and texture and is a fair bit cheaper. It has a nice sharpness to it which lends it authenticity. The slices are on the thin side and the resealable packaging was rubbish but we can live with that given that it tastes so good. We have to add this, however, to the list of cheeses reviewed which displayed a wanton disregard for the facts when it comes to names. This cheese has a UK stamp on it indicating it was not made anywhere near Charleville.

Verdict:Excellent *****

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