Welsh Slate Cavern Aged Cheddar

A new Cheddar has been developed by leading farmer-owned Welsh co-operative South Caernarfon Creameries in partnership with Llechwedd Slates Caverns. A very traditional maturing method has been adopted which has been used in France for hundreds of years, with the cheddar stored 500 feet underground in the steepest mining maturation caverns.

Cheese is transported from South Caernarfon’s Creamery near Pwlhelli to the Slate Cavern which is located in the depths of Snowdonia and left to mature for several months. This process adds unique characteristics to the cheese; a firmer body and depth of flavour with rich savoury notes and you really can taste the difference.

Once matured, the 14 month old cheese is cut into 1.25kg blocks, hand-dipped in a blue slate coloured wax and finished with a hand crafted Dragon stamp. The cheese has been developed exclusively with Sainsburys and will initially be available from 23 April 2014 on their deli counters where consumers will be able to sample the cheese first hand. A 200g retail pack will then be launched in Sainsburys Taste the Difference range in early Autumn 2014

“We have worked with Sainsbury’s to develop a truly unique cheddar that really demonstrates our Welsh heritage. We are so grateful that Llechwedd Slate Caverns in Blaenau Ffestiniog agreed to work with us to mature our cheese at the mine” explains Alan Wyn-Jones, Managing Director at South Caernarfon Creameries. “It is an amazing maturation technique, we are very pleased with the fabulous eating quality and confident that our cheese will enjoy phenomenal success. South Caernarfon is also embarking on a programme of new products that will be launched later in the year.”