Top Aged Cheeses You'll Love: A Gardner’s Guide to Flavor, Time, and Cheese Wizardry

Aged cheese is one of life’s great wonders. Some people climb mountains for enlightenment. Some people meditate. We simply head to the cheese fridge and contemplate a block of 17 Year Super Sharp Cheddar until it speaks to us. That is a profound experience of its own kind.

If you have ever wondered why aged cheeses taste the way they do, how they get so complex, or why a single crumble of our mythical 20 Year Cheddar can make your eyebrows shoot up in surprise, you're in the right place. Today we walk you through the magic of aged cheese, the art of affinage, the types you absolutely need in your fridge, and of course, all the aged beauties we create here at Gardner’s Wisconsin Cheese.

Grab a toothpick, take a deep breath, and let's begin this delicious journey.

Key Takeaways

• Aged cheeses are brought to peak deliciousness through affinage, the careful, slow process of letting flavor develop over time.
• Different aged cheeses offer wildly different tasting experiences. A 4 Year Dry Aged Cheddar is smooth and mild compared to our face-melting 17 Year. Aged Gouda brings sweetness, while Aged Parmesan delivers intense umami.
• Pairings matter. Fruit, nuts, wines, drizzles, summer sausages, and even a humble cracker can transform a tasting experience.
• Whether you are enjoying cheese straight, melting it into dinner, or gifting it through our Vintage Package, aged cheeses are a world worth exploring.

Discovering Aged Cheeses

Aged cheeses are the grand philosophers of the dairy world! They sit quietly in carefully controlled rooms, contemplating life while developing flavors so deep they could probably win a debate.

Unlike fresh cheeses that are youthful, mild, and ready to mingle immediately, aged cheeses spend months or years maturing. This aging process intensifies flavor, thickens texture, and adds layers of character. If fresh cheeses are like fluffy new kittens, aged cheeses are like wise old barn cats who have survived winter and have strong opinions about everything.

Here at Gardner’s, we proudly create some of the best aged cheeses in Wisconsin! Our lineup includes the legendary 8 Year Old Super Sharp Cheddar, the incredibly intense 13 Year and 17 Year, the mythical 20 Year, our melty and nutty Aged Gouda, and our deeply savory Aged Parmesan. Each one grows more complex with every year it spends waiting to fulfill its destiny on your cheese board.

What Makes Cheese "Aged"?
The moment a cheese is born, its journey begins. Some cheeses get to remain young and soft, like mozzarella or fresh curds. Others begin the long, noble path of aging.

Aging is called affinage, and it is a careful, deliberate job. Affinage involves controlling temperature, humidity, airflow, and even the microbes interacting with the cheese. Every wheel or block is watched, tended, and lovingly whispered to. At least that is what we do in the Gardner’s aging room. It works, so we are not asking questions.

During aging, moisture slowly evaporates. Flavors intensify. Crystals like tyrosine begin to appear, which is always a sign of greatness. Texture becomes crumbly, sharp, and structured. Aromas deepen. A well-aged cheese becomes a universe of flavor in a single bite.

Our 17 Year Cheddar is the perfect example. At year 10 it is sharp. At year 15 it is legendary. By year 17 it is a tiny dairy firecracker. By year 20 it is a cheese that enters a room before you do, in the best possible way!

Popular Types of Aged Cheese

Although the cheese world is filled with aged gems, we will focus on the kinds we proudly make at Gardner’s.

Aged Cheddar
Cheddar evolves dramatically over time.

• Our 4 Year Dry Aged Cheddar is smooth and versatile.
• Our 8 Year Super Sharp Cheddar is a fan favorite that balances sharpness and creaminess.
• The 13 Year pushes into bold territory with deep tang.
• The 17 Year is intensely sharp, rich, and buttery.
• The 20 Year Limited Edition is so powerful and crystalline that it deserves its own theme song!

Aged Gouda

Our Aged Gouda is soft, nutty, and slightly sweet. It is the cheese equivalent of a warm hug that also knows how to party.

Aged Parmesan

Our Aged Parmesan is dense, nutty, savory, and perfect for grating, shaving, snacking, or eating directly over the sink while pretending you are examining it for “quality control”.

Holey Smoked Swiss and Cheddar

Naturally smoked, slightly nutty, and gently sweet, our Holey Smoked Swiss and Cheddar ages beautifully and makes an incredible addition to boards and sandwiches.

Blue Marble Jack

Our delicious Blue Marble Jack is a friendlier, more approachable blue cheese that still delivers tang and complexity. It is aged, creamy, and perfect for beginners and blue fanatics alike.

Each aged cheese offers its own flavor journey, and together they form the backbone of our aged collection.

The Art of Aging Cheese

Aging cheese is part science, part magic, part patience, and part “what happens if we let this sit for just a little longer”. The results speak for themselves.

The Role of Time

Time contributes sharpness, texture, and complexity. At Gardner’s, our aged cheddars transform like this:

• Year 4: Balanced, mild, clean flavor
• Year 8: The sharpness begins its takeover
• Year 13: Deep, tangy, and layered
• Year 17: Sharp enough to make your eyes widen
• Year 20: A cheese so intense, it should come with tiny warning labels!

Cheese does not merely age. It evolves.

Controlled Environment

Our aging rooms maintain carefully calibrated temperature and humidity. At the wrong humidity level, cheese gets grumpy. At the right humidity level, it blossoms into glorious, flavor-packed perfection.

Mold Cultures and Bacteria

Molds and bacteria contribute to many aged cheeses, giving them distinct aromas and textures. Our Blue Marble Jack is a prime example of this process! It uses carefully introduced cultures to create its blue veining without overwhelming the palate.

Types of Aged Cheeses

We can break aged cheeses into a few families.

Hard Cheeses
Aged Parmesan, long-aged cheddars, and aged gouda all fall in this category. They are firm, crumbly, and packed with flavor.

Semi Hard Cheeses

Cheeses like our nutty Aged Gouda and some of our aged Jack styles fit here. They still slice and melt beautifully.

Blue Cheeses

Our Blue Marble Jack is aged enough to develop blue’s funky tang but remains smooth and melty.

Pairing Aged Cheeses

Pairings can turn a delightful cheese board into a life changing one.

Wine and Aged Cheese Pairings

Aged cheddars love full bodied reds. Cabernet Sauvignon pairs particularly well with our 13 Year and 17 Year Cheddar.

• Aged Parmesan loves Pinot Grigio or prosecco.
• Aged Gouda is a dream with port or sauvignon blanc.
• Blue Marble Jack enjoys gin, hard cider, or scotch.

Fruit and Nut Pairings

• Aged Gouda with pears or apples is magic.
• Aged Cheddar with dried cherries is a Wisconsin masterpiece.
• Aged Parmesan with walnuts is a crunchy, nutty, umami party.
• Blue Marble Jack with figs is a classy move that says you know what you are doing.

Cooking with Aged Cheeses

• Add Aged Parmesan to roasted veggies.
• Melt Aged Gouda into mac and cheese.
• Grate 4 Year Cheddar into soup.
• Shave 17 Year Cheddar over a steak.
• Snack on 8 Year Cheddar while pretending you are prepping for guests even though you are clearly eating alone. We support you.

Shopping for Aged Cheeses

Here is what to look for.

Texture and Crystals

Good aged cheeses often develop tiny crunchy crystals. They are not salt. They are tyrosine crystals, and they taste like tiny pops of happiness.

Aroma

Aged cheeses smell rich, savory, nutty, or sharp. If it smells like something worth tasting, it probably is.

Proudly Wisconsin Cheese Badge

This badge is your guarantee that the cheese has been made with Wisconsin pride and cheese passion.

Better yet, if you see the Gardner’s logo, you are holding something truly special.

Where to Buy

You can buy aged cheeses online, and we proudly ship ours directly from Wisconsin. If you want aged cheddar so sharp it could legally qualify as a weapon, we have you covered.

Enjoying Aged Cheeses

Serving and tasting aged cheeses correctly enhances the experience.

Serving Suggestions

Always serve aged cheeses at room temperature. Let the flavors stretch their legs.

Pair them with simple crackers, good bread, or drizzle sauces like our Hot Pepper Bacon Jam or Raspberry Honey Mustard.

Tasting Techniques

• Look, smell, taste, repeat.
• Let the cheese melt on your tongue.
• Notice how it evolves with each chew.
• Take notes if you want to feel like a cheese scholar.

Understanding Cheese Terminology

Affinage

The art of aging cheeses. Slow, careful, deliberate deliciousness.

Rind

The outer layer that protects and contributes flavor.

Lactic Acid

Responsible for tang, texture, and the fermentation magic inside each block.

Recommended Reads for Cheese Nerds

If you want to go deeper, there are books and guides about cheese history, regional traditions, and the evolution of cheese culture. They are delightful rabbit holes.

A Shoutout to Our Legendary Aged Cheese Bundles

Before we wrap up, we need to highlight two of our proudest offerings.

The Vintage Package

This bundle includes the full lineup of our aged icons.

• 8 Year
• 13 Year
• 17 Year
• 4 Year Dry Aged
• Aged Gouda
• Aged Parmesan

If you want the complete aged Gardner’s experience, this is the crown jewel.

The Wisconsin Super Sharp Cheddar Package

This one is for the cheddar purist. It includes:

• 8 Year
• 13 Year
• 17 Year
• 4 Year Dry Aged

It is basically a vertical tasting flight of Wisconsin cheddar greatness. Perfect for gifting, perfect for self gifting, perfect for anyone who believes cheddar is a personality trait.

The Cheesy Summary

Aged cheeses are truly the pinnacle of cheese craftsmanship. From the balanced smoothness of our 4 Year Cheddar to the thunderbolt intensity of our 20 Year, each block tells a story of time, care, and dairy excellence. Aged Gouda brings sweet nuttiness, Aged Parmesan brings savory richness, and Blue Marble Jack brings a funky, approachable twist.

Whether you pair them with wine, fruits, nuts, or drizzle sauces, or simply snack on them straight from the fridge, aged cheeses are an experience worth savoring.

So next time you explore the world of cheese, treat yourself to something with age, character, and depth. You will taste the difference in every single bite.