Why Cheddar Cheese And Bourbon Are An Ideal Pairing

If you've ever put together a cheese board that included aged cheddar, you probably already know that its creaminess and sometimes subtle sweetness pair perfectly with sweet fruits like apples as well as wines like sauvignon blanc or cabernet sauvignon. But if you want to step outside the box and dabble with pairing cheddar with a spirit that mirrors its sweet undertones, John Montez, Assistant Manager of Education at Murray's Cheese, tells Food Republic that bourbon is the way to go.

We had the opportunity to chat with Montez, who told us that bourbon and cheddar are a perfect match thanks to their complementary flavor profiles. "Bourbon has the sweetest aromas of the major whiskey styles. It's made with corn and aged in American Oak which gives coconut, vanilla, and honey notes to the spirit," he said. "When thinking about pairing bourbon with cheese, I think of the bourbon like a piece of country cornbread, sweet and comforting. It, therefore, needs a cheese to match."

Montez recommends an aged block-style cheddar like Murray's High Plains Cheddar or Hook's Five-Year Aged Cheddar. Both have a bit of sweetness that will work well with the flavor notes in bourbon. Plus, the bold richness that comes from aging makes the cheeses an ideal accompaniment for the strong spirit.

While aged cheddar may be the top cheese to wash down with bourbon, it's not the only variety that can be paired with the popular spirit. It may take experimenting to find your favorite matches, since definitive guides aren't nearly as prevalent as they are with cheese and wine.

When trying to determine how best to match up cheeses and bourbon, consider the relative boldness or smoothness of the bourbon. For super smooth sips, look to other nutty or mild cheeses like Gouda, Parmigiano Reggiano, or a creamy cheese like brie. For more assertive expressions, you can choose a mild cheese to let the bourbon shine, or opt for an equally bold flavor from blue cheese.

The proof of the bourbon can play a part in how it pairs, too. Versions that clock in between 80 and 90 proof tend to work well with a variety of cheeses. Meanwhile, higher-proof bourbons are better paired with creamy cheeses, because the richness of the fat balances out the alcohol in the bourbon. And lest you think that all of this experimentation might break the bank, remember that there are plenty of reasonably priced bourbons on the market.