Cheese Database

Jarlsberg cheese vs Nøkkelost

Jarlsberg cheese, field guide plate
Jarlsberg cheese, photographed

Jarlsberg cheese

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Semi-hard
Type
Pressed
Rind
Waxed or sealed
Country
Norway

Jarlsberg cheese is a semi-hard cheese from Norway. It is made from cow's milk and belongs to the alpine family of pressed cheeses with round eyes. The paste is pale yellow, smooth, and flexible, with a mild nutty taste and a sweet finish. A yellow wax coat usually covers the rind. Wheels and pre-cut blocks are both common in shops at home and abroad.

Nøkkelost

Facts

Milk
Cow
Texture
Semi-hard
Type
Pressed
Rind
No rind
Country
Norway

Nøkkelost is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese from Norway, sold in blocks and in wheels. The name means key cheese, and the same cheese is also called kuminost. Cumin and cloves are mixed through the curd, so dark flecks show in a pale yellow paste. Small round eyes are a normal part of the cut face. It is an everyday spiced cheese, closer to a Dutch loaf than to a sweet brown whey cheese.