Montgomery’s Cheddar is one of the last remaining traditional, clothbound, raw milk cheddars in England. Selected by Neal’s Yard Dairy and aged for up to 24 months, it is a benchmark of its kind: dense and crumbly in texture, with rich, savoury layers of flavour. Expect notes of brothy beef stock, hay, and brown butter, balanced by a mineral brightness that lingers. The rind is natural and earthy, and near it, the cheese becomes deeper, with barnyard hints and a drier bite.
Unlike many commercial cheddars, Montgomery’s is never sharp or acidic—it is mature and complex, but always elegant.
Key Facts
Origin: Somerset, England
Milk: Raw Cow's Milk
Rennet Type: Animal rennet
Style:Cheddar
Classification: Farmhouse
Shelf Life: 7-10 days, this product is cut to order
Similar cheeses:Traditional clothbound Cheddars such as Bay of Fires, Montgomerys
Details
Terroir & Milk
Made at Manor Farm in North Cadbury, Somerset, Montgomery’s is one of just three cheddars protected under the West Country Farmhouse Cheddar PDO. The milk comes exclusively from the Montgomery family’s herd of Friesian cows, grazing the lush pastures of South West England. The raw milk, untreated and alive with microbial diversity, brings complexity and vitality to the final cheese.
Production Method
Handmade using traditional cheddar-making techniques:
Curds are cut and hand-stacked (cheddared)
Pressed into cylinders and clothbound with lard
Aged on wooden shelves for 18 to 24 months in natural maturing rooms
This slow, ancestral method produces a dry, crystalline texture and an intense concentration of flavour. Every wheel is different and tells a story of its season, its cows, and its makers.
Pairings
A deep, structured cheese like Montgomery’s needs equally grounded companions:
Drink: English bitter ales, mature cider, or an aged Oloroso sherry. Full-bodied reds with structure, like Barolo or Cabernet Sauvignon, also match well.
Food: Serve alongside good crusty bread, raw honey, mustard fruits, or pickled onions. Works beautifully with dry-cured hams or simply grated over roast vegetables.
A Bit of History
Montgomery’s Cheddar has been made at Manor Farm since 1911, and it remains in the hands of the same family. Jamie Montgomery, third-generation cheesemaker, has fiercely upheld traditional methods while allowing the cheese to evolve under the expert selection of Neal’s Yard Dairy, who age and distribute wheels of exceptional quality.
Today, Montgomery’s Cheddar is recognized as a pillar of British cheesemaking, representing a time when all cheese was truly farmhouse.
Dietary
Ingredients: Raw cow's milk, salt, cultures, animal rennet.
