Queijo São Jorge Aged 24 Months

This is Queijo São Jorge, the raw cow's milk cheese of São Jorge island in the Azores, aged for 24 months. Two years of curing turn the island's best known cheese into a serious piece for a cheese board, intense and crumbly, with real length.

Flavour and texture

Long ageing concentrates everything. São Jorge is known for a sharp, peppery bite with notes of butter and walnut, and those grow stronger with time. At 24 months the paste is dense and dry enough to break into chunks, often with small crunchy crystals.

Food pairing

Break it into rough pieces and serve with walnuts, dried figs or a spoon of honey. It stands up to big wines: try an aged tawny Port, a Madeira Verdelho, or a structured Douro red. A little goes a long way, so it also works grated over pasta or a potato gratin.

About São Jorge cheese

Queijo São Jorge is a protected (PDO) cheese from São Jorge island in the Azores, made from raw cow's milk. Cattle graze outdoors on the island's green pastures, and the wheels are cured for months before sale.

Good to know

• Keep refrigerated in cheese or waxed paper, and take it out 30 to 60 minutes before serving
• Portuguese PDO cow's milk cheese, cured 24 months
• A strong gift for cheese lovers, with a bottle of tawny Port