Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
Price range: £2.95 through £17.70
Rutland Red is a lovely English cheese with a great history. Cloth-bound and matured for six months to produce a flaky, open texture cheese with a slightly sweet, caramelised flavour and rich golden orange colour. Its layers of flavour make it a brilliant choice for cheeseboards, cooking, or just enjoying with your favourite nibbles. It’s a real celebration of traditional English cheesemaking.
Rutland Red is one of my favourite cheeses. Not only does it look great on the cheeseboard, but it has a character all its own. Technically, it’s a type of Red Leicester, but it has definitely made a name for itself, thanks to the care and attention of its makers.
Rutland Red’s story goes hand in hand with Red Leicester, a classic English hard cheese made in Leicestershire for centuries. The original Red Leicester was made on farms using leftover milk from Stilton production. They used beetroot or carrot juice to give it colour. Later, in the 1700s, cheesemakers started using annatto, from the achiote tree’s seeds. That’s what gives the cheese its orange colour today.
Rutland Red is made by Long Clawson Dairy, a cooperative founded in 1912. It was started by local farmers near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire. They’re famous for their Stilton and other traditional English cheeses. Rutland Red is the only pasteurised Red Leicester still made in Leicestershire using the old cloth-bound method. This sets it apart from the block versions you usually see in the supermarket.
The cheese is matured for around six months. This gives it a lovely balance of flavours and textures. As it ages, it’s wrapped in cloth and gets a layer of butter on the outside. This old-fashioned trick helps create a rich, slightly flaky texture and layers of flavour.
Rutland Red has won numerous awards over the years, including gold medals at major cheese shows. It won the coveted title of Best British Cheese at the World Cheese Awards in 2025, finishing 11th globally. It’s a real favourite among cheese lovers, and it’s easy to see why.
Rutland Red has a strikingly deep golden-orange colour from the added annatto. Its texture is firm but a bit flaky, somewhere between a classic Red Leicester and a good mature cheddar. When you first bring Rutland Red to your nose, you notice a pleasant, clean, and subtly sweet aroma that is inviting yet not overpowering.
I get an instant hit of nutty and buttery flavours, with caramel and cream notes, followed by a gentle tang at the end. There’s also a subtle sweetness at the finish, a bit like butterscotch or crème brûlée, which comes from the way it’s traditionally matured. It may not deliver the strength of a really mature cheddar, but you find plenty of depth and character that make it memorable.
Jen’s note: We often use Rutland Red in our cheese towers. Its vibrant colour and depth of flavour make it a favourite amongst couples who come into the shop for a wedding tasting.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, salt, starter cultures, vegetarian rennet, annatto
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
