Supermarket Brie Taste Test: Which Wedge is Utterly Brie-liant?
Brie and baguette represent one of life's simplest pleasures, perfect for enjoying anywhere from a park bench to a mountain trail, requiring no special utensils. This soft, white, mould-ripened cheese, made from raw or pasteurised cow's milk, originates from the Brie region in northern France. The production process involves gently warming milk, separating curds with rennet, inoculating with Penicillium candidum for flavour and rind, then salting and ripening for at least a month.
In this taste test, each cheese was evaluated at room temperature after a minimum one-hour rest to allow intense aromas from packaging and refrigeration to dissipate. The goal was to identify the best supermarket brie available, assessing factors like texture, aroma, and value for money.
The Best Supermarket Brie
Best Overall: M&S French Mature Ripening Brie
Priced at £3.50 for 200g (£1.75 per 100g) at Ocado, this well-aged wedge features a brown-and-white rind and is packed in a wooden carton to maintain its gooey form. It offers a sweet and funky aroma, with a soft, aerated centre that melts into an oozy blob. The flavour combines floral sweetness with a sour twang, making it utterly delicious and earning four stars.
Best Bargain: Castello Extra Creamy Brie
Available for £2.62 for 200g (£1.31 per 100g) at Asda and £2.80 (£1.40 per 100g) at Sainsbury's, this small, round cheese has a firm rind and a sweet, pleasant, yeasty aroma. It boasts a mild taste with honey notes, a creamy, buttery texture, and is brilliant value. Ideal for those preferring a milder brie, it also receives four stars.
Other Notable Brie Cheeses
Baron Bigod
Priced at £10.50 for 250g (£4.20 per 100g) at Ocado, this brie-style cheese is a whole world away in complexity. Made with raw milk from Fen Farm Dairy's free-ranging Montbéliarde cows, it features a pungent, earthy rind and a golden, gooey interior that is sweet and creamy. Easily the best splurge, it earns five stars.
Waitrose British Somerset Brie
Costing £3.40 for 230g (£1.48 per 100g) at Waitrose, this cheese has a pungent, farmyard aroma and a wonderfully sweet taste. It offers a gooey outer edge with a set middle, providing a pleasing texture contrast. Creamy and rich, it represents incredible value and scores four stars.
Brie de Rouzaire
Available for £3 for 165g (£1.82 per 100g) at Morrisons, this mature wedge has a complex rind with earthy notes of farmyard, autumn leaves, and honey. Gooey and ripe, it's perfect for avid cheese lovers and rates four stars.
Cornish Cheese Co Cornish Brie
Priced at £4.50 for 200g (£2.25 per 100g) at Morrisons, this small round features a bloomy, snow-white rind. It is fresh and mild with a mushroom note, firm in the middle yet rich and creamy. A crowd-pleaser, it earns four stars.
Tesco British Brie
Costing £2.30 for 160g (£1.44 per 100g) at Tesco, this wedge has a thick, white rind and a mild-to-medium aroma. It offers a consistent, creamy texture with a classic sweet flavour and gentle tanginess, providing top value and three stars.
Président French Brie
Priced at £2.95 for 200g (£1.48 per 100g) at Tesco and Sainsbury's, this decent-size wedge has a farmyard aroma with honey and brassica notes. Consistently creamy with a buttery texture, it offers really good value and three stars.
Co-op Somerset Brie
Available for £2.60 for 160g (£1.63 per 100g) at Co-op, this classic wedge has a soft, farmy rind. It features a mature, gooey texture and a sweet, nutty flavour, making it a reliable everyday cheese with three stars.
Milbona French Brie
Costing £1.65 for 200g (83p per 100g) at Lidl, this thin wedge of young brie has an assertively pungent rind that softens after airing. The taste is sweet and the texture creamy, offering great value for a simple, everyday option with two stars.
This taste test highlights the diversity of supermarket brie, from high-end splurges to budget-friendly picks, ensuring there's a perfect wedge for every cheese lover.
