Cheese Tasting

Using Smell in Cheese Tasting

First, we use our sense of smell to detect the primary aroma of the cheese both on the rind before opening it and at the moment of cutting it. Both the odor and its intensity can be perceived when bringing the cheese close to the nose. This intensity can vary from low, as in fresh or soft cow cheeses, to very high, as in blue cheeses. Primary odors mainly come from the external treatment of the rind and, secondarily, from the type of milk and the production methods used. Primary odors are more easily detected in well-aged cheeses than in young, under-matured ones.

Second, we use smell through the retronasal route while eating, where we can perceive its aroma. Aroma is defined as a set of sensations that can be detected retronasally or indirectly during tasting. To capture the aroma, the cheese should be chewed for several seconds while holding your breath. Then, release the air through your nose in bursts with your mouth closed to allow the aromas and their intensity to emerge. The intensity of the aroma can be weak in semi-aged tender and pasteurized cheeses and strong in raw milk cheeses. Aroma intensity is categorized into three levels: mild, medium, and strong.

Some possible odors and aromas include: dairy, hay, grass, flowers, fruity, roasted, spicy, animal-like, and more aggressive notes such as rancid, sour, sulfurous, pungent, and ammoniacal.

External Appearance

The first sense we use to evaluate cheese is sight. Through it, we can assess the shape, size, type of rind, and its color, which define the cheese’s presentation.
The rind of Queso Zamorano is characterized by a moldy appearance with a “Pleita” or “Cincho” mark in a spike-like pattern. The rind color ranges from grayish to dark yellow.

Internal Appearance

Once opened, we can also evaluate the color and internal characteristics (holes, mold, cracks, etc.) which indicate the quality of its production and aging, desired or undesired fermentations, raw or pasteurized milk, late swelling, and more.
The color of the cheese paste can also help differentiate the types of milk used in its production or the cheese’s degree of maturity:

• Paste is white, although very mature cheeses may have a slight beige tint.
• Young semi-cured sheep cheeses have a bone-white interior, which develops a light yellow or straw color in mature cheeses.
• The most tender cheeses have an ivory-white paste, which can turn yellow-orange in the more mature varieties. The intensity of yellow is more pronounced in cheeses from animals that graze.

At this point, we reach the climax of the tasting experience, when the piece of cheese comes into contact with the palate and tongue, engaging millions of taste, smell, and touch receptors.

During maturation, processes like proteolysis, lipolysis, and lactolysis, varying in intensity, and their interactions produce simpler compounds, some elemental, responsible for flavor and texture. These processes are complemented by others from the production method, such as salting, acidification, and smoking.

In general: Proteins are responsible for flavor, fats for aroma, lactose for acidity, and added salt for salinity. However, none of these act in isolation; they enhance or inhibit each other in a complex system of mutual relationships.

Sensory cells detect the substances responsible for taste and aroma, distinguish their nature and concentration, and transmit this information. Only the individual, in their personal experience, can fully appreciate, retain, relate, and enjoy these sensations.

Flavor: This can be sweet, salty, sour, bitter, or umami, with each detected by specific regions of the tongue.

Aftertaste and Persistence: The aftertaste, or residual flavor, appears after swallowing the cheese and differs from the sensations experienced while the cheese is in the mouth. Persistence refers to the duration of the taste and aroma sensation, or how long the flavor lingers in the mouth, and can be:

• Brief: Less than 3 seconds
• Medium: Between 10 and 15 seconds
• Long: More than 30 seconds

The texture of cheese encompasses a wide range of sensations and characteristics perceived through our senses. These attributes are assessed primarily through the slice or the central cut of the cheese. The act of cutting and handling the cheese reveals aspects that indicate its quality and condition.

When slicing into the cheese, we can evaluate its rheological properties—how it responds to pressure. We observe whether the cheese is hard, semi-hard, semi-soft, soft, creamy, or paste-like. This helps us determine if the cheese type and its aging process match what we expect.

Once opened, the cheese’s texture can be further assessed through touch, revealing aspects such as consistency, elasticity, crumbly or firm texture, cohesiveness, deformation, or layered structure.

The initial texture and consistency observed during cutting should be confirmed on the palate, supplemented by additional observations.

Visual Aspects

• **Eyes:** The size and number of eyes (holes) in the cheese indicate whether it has undergone proper maturation (small, round, shiny eyes in limited quantity) or if undesirable fermentation has occurred.
• **Cracks and Openings:** These signal a lack of cohesion in the paste, potentially due to poor acidification, insufficient cooling of the curd, or defective pressing.

Tactile Aspects

• **Roughness:** The surface can range from smooth, fine, sandy, to coarse (from less to more mature).
• **Moisture:** Can be categorized as dry, slightly moist, moderately moist, or wet.