Description
Duckett’s Caerphilly Cheese
About Duckett’s Caerphilly
Duckett’s Caerphilly is one of those cheeses that proves you don’t need years of maturation to make something really interesting.
It’s fresh, crumbly and wonderfully moist, with that distinctive lemony tang that makes Caerphilly completely different from the Cheddars being made alongside it at Westcombe.
The story of Caerphilly begins, of course, in South Wales. It was traditionally made on farms and became closely associated with the coal-mining communities of the area. Unlike Cheddar, which needs months or even years to mature, Caerphilly could be ready relatively quickly, making it a useful cheese for farmers to produce while their Cheddars were quietly maturing.
It also made rather good food for hungry miners.
Its moist, crumbly texture, fresh acidity and slightly salty flavour made it an ideal cheese to take underground, and Caerphilly became firmly woven into Welsh food history.
But the story of Duckett’s Caerphilly takes us across the border into Somerset.
From Duckett to Westcombe
As Caerphilly became popular, production spread beyond Wales and into the West Country, where Cheddar makers began making it alongside their longer-maturing cheeses.
One of those cheesemakers was the Duckett family.
For decades, Chris Duckett continued making traditional Caerphilly at his Somerset farm and became one of the great custodians of the cheese. At a time when traditional farmhouse Caerphilly had become increasingly difficult to find, Duckett’s kept the style alive.
When Chris eventually retired, he passed his recipe and knowledge on to Tom Calver at Westcombe Dairy.
And that’s where Duckett’s Caerphilly is still made today.
I love that. Westcombe may be famous for its Cheddar, but tucked alongside those great clothbound wheels is a completely different British cheese with a history that somebody cared enough about to pass on.
The Make
Caerphilly is a much younger cheese than Cheddar, and that youth is a big part of its character.
The curds retain plenty of moisture and the cheese is only lightly pressed, giving it that distinctive texture: crumbly when you cut it, but surprisingly moist and creamy when you eat it.
As it matures, a natural rind develops and the cheese begins to change from the outside in. The paste immediately beneath the rind becomes softer and more yielding while the centre retains that lovely fresh, crumbly character.
That’s why a good piece of Caerphilly can give you several different textures and flavours in a single slice.
Duckett’s Caerphilly – Jen’s Tasting Notes
The first thing I look for in a good Caerphilly is moisture.
It should crumble, certainly, but it shouldn’t be dry. Duckett’s breaks into lovely soft chunks, with a pale, creamy centre and a slightly softer texture as you move towards the natural rind.
Then comes that unmistakable Caerphilly flavour.
There’s a lovely fresh, lemony acidity at the centre, with clean milky flavours and just enough salt. Move towards the rind and everything becomes a little more savoury. I often pick up mushroomy, earthy flavours there, which provide a brilliant contrast to that bright, lactic centre.
And that’s what makes Duckett’s so interesting.
One piece of cheese can take you from fresh, lemony and crumbly in the middle to softer, earthier and more savoury at the edge.
It’s a reminder that mild doesn’t have to mean boring.
How to Serve and Pair Duckett’s Caerphilly
- Make sure you take it out of the fridge a good hour before you want to eat it so it can come up to room temperature.
- Classic pairings: Sauvignon Blanc works beautifully with Caerphilly, particularly because that lovely acidity echoes the fresh lemony character of the cheese.
- Something a little different: A good British ale is a natural partner. I’d go for something gently malty rather than too powerful, so you don’t lose the freshness of the cheese.
- On the plate: Crisp apple and rustic sourdough are really all you need. Granny Smith works particularly well if you like plenty of freshness and acidity.
- In the kitchen: There can really only be one answer here: Welsh rarebit! Duckett’s melts beautifully and that slight acidity stops the whole thing becoming too rich.
Jen’s note: I love the fact that Duckett’s Caerphilly is now made at Westcombe. While those enormous Cheddars are settling down for 12 months or more of maturation, the Caerphilly is ready in a fraction of the time. Two completely different cheeses being made in the same dairy — and a lovely example of one cheesemaker passing his knowledge on to another so that a traditional cheese didn’t disappear.
Buying Duckett’s Caerphilly
- Brand or Producer: Westcombe Dairy
- Product name: Duckett’s Caerphilly
- Milk: Cow
- Country: England
- Region: Somerset
- Strength: Mild to medium
- Vegetarian: No
- Suitable for pregnancy: No
- Allergens: MILK
Sizes and Prices
- 100g wedge, £2.90
- 500g wedge, £14.50
- Whole cheese (approx. 4kg), available to pre-order
Storage Advice
- Keep refrigerated
- Wrap in waxed paper or cling film
- Remove from the fridge before serving
- Consume within 10 to 14 days of opening
Delivery and Collection
- UK wide courier delivery
- Click and collect from our Pangbourne shop
- Free local delivery available for selected postcodes
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, salt, starter cultures, rennet
