Herbal-washed Alpine, deeply nutty and aromatic with a peppery lingering finish.
Extra Aged Appenzeller from Switzerland: thermized cow's milk Alpine, 9+ months, washed in a secret herbal brine. Piquant, nutty, deeply aromatic.
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Extra Aged Appenzeller, Black Label, comes from the Appenzellerland region of northeast Switzerland, where about 75 dairies have been making this cheese with their own secret brine recipes for at least 700 years. Black Label is the longest-aged tier of the three, sitting above the Silver (Classic) and Gold (Surchoix) labels.
It's a thermized cow's milk Alpine, semi-hard to hard depending on how it sits with you, with a firm body, a slightly crumbly edge, and tiny "eyes" scattered through a straw-colored paste. The character of this cheese is the herbal brine wash that gets brushed on the wheels throughout aging, sometimes carrying a little wine or cider in the recipe. That brine builds the golden rind and pulls a real piquancy into the paste. Aged six months or more, the Black Label leans deeply nutty and aromatic, with a tangy bite up front and a finish that hangs on with hay, herbs, and a whisper of sharpness.
Shave it over warm potatoes and it does the same thing in a hot dish, that herbal sharpness coming right through.
Firm and dense with a golden, slightly crumbly body that still gives a touch of creaminess on the tongue. Snaps cleanly off the knife, then softens as it warms.
Bold and aromatic with a pronounced piquancy from the herbal brine wash. Nutty depth up front, a tangy savory pull through the middle, building into real sharpness as it sits.
Lingering finish that holds the herbal brine and a whisper of sharpness on the palate. Hay and a peppery warmth keep going long after the bite.
Mostly worked through by the long aging, with just a faint buttery base under the brine and the sharpness.
Deep nutty undertones run through the paste, the kind of toasted, browned-cream nuttiness you get from a properly aged Alpine.
A vegetal, hay-like character from the herbal brine wash. Aromatic and a little wild, in a clean alpine way rather than barnyardy.
A real piquant bite from the Extra aging and the brine wash, sitting on the back of the palate. Peppery and sharp without crossing into burn.
Washed rind
Golden, washed rind built up from repeated herbal brine washes during aging. Strongly aromatic and a touch funky, carrying the herbal and slightly tangy notes into the paste at the edge.
Appenzeller stands on its own, but the right partners turn a wedge into a moment. Regional pairings first — they were built for each other.
The piquant, herbal sharpness of an Extra Aged Appenzeller wants something with structure or a touch of sweetness. A full red or Pinot Noir matches the intensity, while Riesling and cider echo the brine wash.
Crisp orchard fruit and a drizzle of honey soften the piquancy, while mustard and walnuts ride alongside the nutty, herbal character of the paste.
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