South Holland · Netherlands
Leyden.
Leyden is a golden, firm cheese with an assertive personality—warm spice notes from cumin and caraway seeds cut through a tangy, slightly sharp base that grows more complex with age. The natural rind crackles under your knife, giving way to a hard, dense paste that releases savory, almost peppery flavors on the palate, with a lingering bite that keeps you coming back.
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The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
Leyden (Leidse Kaas) has been made near the city of Leiden in South Holland since the 17th century.
It is distinctive for being made with partly skimmed milk and flavored with cumin or caraway seeds. The city of Leiden coat of arms is traditionally stamped into the rind using crossed keys.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Cow · pasteurised
- Family
- Hard
- Rind
- natural
- Age
- 3–12 mo
- Intensity
Tasting profile
What it tastes like.
Caseo's flavour axes are calibrated against reference cheeses. This is Leyden's fingerprint.
Aroma
Nutrition · per 100g serving
What's in a wedge.
A 100g serving — about a finger-thick wedge. Daily values use the FDA 2020 reference of 2,000 kcal. Expect ±5% variation between wheels.
Estimated values — based on similar cheese family data
Pairings · Caseo curated
What goes with Leyden.
27 pairings across 8 categories.
Wine
Beer & Cider
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
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