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: £3.60 through £21.60
Smoked Gubbeen is made with proper farmhouse care in the fields of West Cork, and you can almost taste the salty breeze and sunshine in every bite. The washed rind brings a lovely earthy note, and the gentle smoking just adds that extra bit of warmth. You get a hint of grassy herbs and a whisper of sea air, and that smoky hug you only get from a really good cheese.
Smoked Gubbeen is one of those Irish farmhouse cheeses that really makes you stop and take notice. It’s lusciously creamy and pliant, with a distinct smoky edge from natural wood smoke curling around each bite. Made down on the wild, wind-lashed southwest coast of Ireland, it’s a perfect example of traditional cheesemaking’s revival in the region. The cheese’s deep golden interior and its aromatic, amber-hued rind deliver earthy flavours with a hint of sweet meadow grass, while a gently pungent aroma wafts up, teasing the senses.
The Ferguson family began making Gubbeen at their farm outside Schull, County Cork, in the late 1970s, helping to spark the revival of traditional Irish farmhouse cheese. While most Irish cheese then was industrially made, the Fergusons drew on French washed-rind methods to create a cheese reflecting West Cork’s rich grass and sea air.
That’s how Gubbeen was born, a washed-rind cheese with a lovely supple texture and loads of aroma. The smoked version came along later, adding another layer of flavour but still keeping the heart of the original.
Traditional Gubbeen gets its character from being a washed-rind cheese. The rind is washed as it matures, giving it a slightly sticky, pink-orange appearance and a savoury, earthy aroma.
All the milk comes from the farm’s own cows, who graze on lush, salty pastures thanks to the Gulf Stream. The mild, damp climate really comes through in the cheese, giving it both sweetness and depth. You can almost taste the West Cork countryside in every bite.
When smoked, Gubbeen retains its character while adding a new layer of aroma. They use cold smoking, usually with oak or whatever local wood is on hand, so the cheese stays supple and the smoke gently seeps into the rind and just under the surface. With Gubbeen’s lively washed rind, smoking must be done carefully to enhance, not overpower, its aroma. It deepens the rind’s colour and adds savoury notes.
Unlike harder cheeses that soak up smoke all the way through, Smoked Gubbeen has a lovely gradient, more smoky and intense at the rind, then softer and creamier as you get to the middle.
Smoked Gubbeen is layered with aromas and flavours. When you breathe it in, notes of toasted hazelnuts, sweet cream, and cellar earthiness rise up, entwined with delicate plumes of wood smoke. Sometimes a wisp of bacon fat or roasted mushroom edges in, subtle but inviting, all the scents balanced, never overwhelming.
The texture is soft enough to glide a knife through the pale, yielding paste, which feels luxuriously creamy on the palate. As it ages, the edges grow almost molten near the rind, letting you scoop up cheese that melts instantly in your mouth.
Taste-wise, smoked Gubbeen reveals itself in a clear progression. The first impression is buttery, with a slightly sweet creaminess. Then the earthy, savoury notes kick in. These are characteristic of washed-rind cheeses, think mushroom, toasted grain, and a mild tang. Next, a rounded, aromatic smokiness emerges, enhancing umami without dominating the flavour. Finally, a lingering warmth remains, with hints of nuts and gentle salt carrying through the finish.
The smoke really enhances Gubbeen’s savoury side. It reminds me of roasted veg or good sourdough crust, always balanced without becoming too strong or funky.
Jen’s note: I love that Gubbeen comes from the Irish word gobín, which means “little mouthful.” It’s a perfect fit for a cheese you’ll want to keep nibbling.
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, salt, starter cultures, rennet, natural smoke
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.
