Vestfold · Norway
Jarlsberg.
Jarlsberg melts on the tongue with a gentle sweetness and buttery richness, its semi-hard paste yielding to a creamy center. Subtle nutty undertones emerge alongside whispers of fresh hay and orchard fruit—a cheese that tastes of Norwegian pastures in their gentlest season.
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Origin
59.9°N · 10.7°E
The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
Jarlsberg was developed in the 1950s by researchers at the Agricultural University of Norway (now NMBU) in Ås, inspired by traditional Swiss Emmental-type cheeses but adapted to Norwegian dairy conditions. The recipe was adapted from a 19th-century Norwegian cheese called 'Jarlsbergost,' produced in the former Jarlsberg county of Vestfold.
Norwegian dairy co-operative TINE launched Jarlsberg commercially in 1961, and it became Norway's most famous cheese internationally. It is also produced under license in Ireland (at Ornua, Kilmeaden) and Ohio (USA). The characteristic large round holes result from Propionibacterium bacteria activity.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Cow · pasteurised
- Family
- Alpine
- Rind
- wax
- Age
- 3–15 mo
- Intensity
- 2 / 5
- Texture
- semi-hard
Tasting profile
What it tastes like.
These bars are a visual read of Jarlsberg's flavour and aroma notes, scaled by the cheese's overall intensity — a quick guide, not a lab measurement.
Aroma
Nutrition · per 100 g serving
What's in a wedge.
A 100 g serving — about a finger-thick wedge. Daily values use the FDA 2020 reference of 2,000 kcal. Expect ±5% variation between wheels.
Serve, cut & store
Out of the fridge,
into its prime.
Guidance for alpine cheeses — general practice, not a per-wheel measurement.
Rest
Take it out about 45–60 min before serving — cold stiffens the fat and locks up the aromas; cool room temperature is when the flavour shows up.
Cut
Cut thin wedges from the centre out, so every slice gets its share of paste and rind.
Store
Wrap leftovers in cheese paper or wax paper — never cling film, which suffocates the rind — and keep them in the warmest part of the fridge.
Rule of thumb: the softer and riper, the longer it needs. Thick pieces need longer than thin — and don't leave cheese out much past two hours.
Pairings · Caseo curated
What goes with Jarlsberg.
44 pairings across 6 categories.
Wine
Beer & Cider
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
Counter listings for Jarlsberg are being verified. Check back soon.
Verified counter listings coming soon. Our team updates listings monthly.
Substitutes
No Jarlsberg at the counter?.
These will play a similar role on the board and in the pan.
Take it with you
Want to remember this one?.
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