First Impressions: The Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club

First Impressions is a series that (re)introduces and reviews new brands to My Subscription Addiction, drawing from readers' requests for an insider's first look. Interested in seeing more reviews from this brand, or have another box in mind that you'd like to see reviewed? Let us know in the comments.

The Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club delivers three different farmhouse cheeses each month. Subscribers will enjoy hand-selected, carefully aged cheeses from around the world paired with detailed tasting notes and cheesemaker profiles.

This cheese subscription helps you discover cheeses you wouldn't normally buy at your local grocery stores—think Brie from the Île-de-France, Leicester from English farms, or Italian Taleggio matured in the caves of Valsassina. Each monthly selection of cheeses is freshly cut from its respective wheel or block prior to shipping.

There are two membership options available: The Original Gourmet Cheese Club or The Rare Cheese Club. The Original Club focuses on traditionally made cheeses whereas The Rare Cheese Club specializes in small-batch, artisan cheeses. Both monthly shipments deliver roughly 1 ½ lbs of cheese in total. No matter which option you choose, you're in for a treat!

ACTIVE DEAL: Limited Time Only! MSA12 - $12 off any prepaid 4-shipment membership; MSA17 - $17 off any prepaid 6-shipment membership; MSA33 - $33 off any prepaid 12-shipment membership
CODE: MSA12 or MSA17 or MSA33

This review is of The Rare Cheese Club by The Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club.

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes).

What's Inside The Box

My first box from The Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club included the following soft, semi-firm and firm cheese selections: Zingerman's Bridgewater, Jumi Schlossberger Alt, and L'Amuse Pril Gouda. I also received an insert detailing each of the cheeses and their makers.

I was very excited to try rare cheeses for a treat! It's certainly not something I get to indulge in very often, so I was over the moon for this opportunity. And it was especially thrilling that I'd get to try cheese from the Netherlands and Switzerland.

Zingerman’s Bridgewater

I absolutely love soft, creamy cheeses so you can imagine my delight when I unveiled this one. Zingerman's Bridgewater is a robust, soft-ripened cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk and animal rennet. It's aged only two to four weeks prior to consumption and boasts a multi-layered body.

Its shell consists of a sphere of cheese covered in a white bloomy mold. Upon cutting the cheese you'll reveal a pale yellow paste, which when matured forms a creamy, custard-like filling. Overall the taste is buttery with bites of peppercorn throughout.

This cheese was so flavorful that I really didn't need to pair it with anything to savor the experience. There was so much character to this cheese from the waxy outer layer to the gooey film and finally the soft, spongey center.

I'd be happy to repeat this cheese anytime!

 Jumi Schlossberger Alt

Up next was a firm Alpine cheese. Jumi's Schlossberger Alt is made from raw cow's milk and aged between 18 and 23 months. Due to its age, this cheese presents a well-balanced flavor that features a broth-like, buttery flavor with hints of nuts.

My husband and I also really enjoyed this cheese but had to eat it a little more slowly than the previous selection because of how rich it was. We enjoyed cutting this block into smaller cubes and slices and pairing it with organic blackberries.

The tasting notes suggested pairing this cheese with either Chardonnay or Pinot Noir. I think Chardonnay would be best as it would help soften the sharpness of the cheese without dampening its unique flavor.

L’Amuse Pril Gouda

Finally, we have a semi-firm Dutch gouda. L’Amuse Pril Gouda is made from pasteurized cow's milk and traditional rennet.  It's aged 3 to 6 months and presents as a somewhat salty, velvety paste with hints of butterscotch and hazelnut.

Historically I haven't been much of a fan of goudas. Probably because most of them were smoked Goudas that felt too heavy. So, once I realized this wouldn't be the case for this cheese I was more than ready to give it a fair try.

The result? This gouda nearly melted in my mouth due to its creaminess. It had the perfect balance of sweet and salty that's not found often in many cheeses.

Safe to say I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this cheese!

The Verdict

At this point, I expect only excellence from MonthlyClubs—and wouldn't you know they nailed it once again. I thoroughly enjoyed trying all three cheeses this month from The Gourmet Cheese of the Month Club, but my favorite by far was Zingerman’s Bridgewater. Zingerman’s Bridgewater was a cheese you could eat the whole way through without accompaniments as it was multi-layered, yet delicate. Jumi Schlossberger Alt and L’Amuse Pril Gouda were also amazing; however, their rich flavors required additional time to savor and were best paired with dry wine or berries.