Aldi's own-brand extra mature cheddar has topped a taste test against Lidl and Cathedral City, scoring 15 out of 20. The comparison, carried out by Express reporter Brian Dillon with his partner, ranked the three cheeses on smell, texture and flavour.
How the cheeses were scored
Each cheese was scored out of 20, with 10 points allocated to taste and 5 each to smell and texture. To avoid bias, the two tasters sampled all three cheeses before sharing their thoughts, then added their results together and divided them to get an average score.
The winner had the ideal texture, a crumby feel that was pleasant when bitten into, with a creaminess that came through when chewed. It also had the strongest and most pleasant smell of all three cheeses.
The results in full
3. Lidl Valley Spire British Extra Mature Cheddar 400g - £2.45
Lidl came in last place. The texture was considered too bouncy, and the cheese had little scent. Both tasters found the taste weak. For the price, it was not considered a bad cheese, but for an extra mature cheddar, more was expected.
- Smell: 2/5
- Texture: 2/5
- Taste: 4/10
- Final score: 8/20
2. Cathedral City Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese 350g - £2.99
Cathedral City had high hopes attached to it as a big brand name. It was not disappointing, but was outshone by its better-value competitor. The packaging was noticeably smaller, with 50g less than the cheaper options. The smell was decent and inviting, the texture gloriously creamy, and the flavour rich, but the winner edged slightly closer to a perfect score.
- Smell: 3/5
- Texture: 4.5/5
- Taste: 7/10
- Final score: 14.5/20
1. Aldi Emporium British Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese 400g - £2.79
Aldi received the highest collective score for numerous reasons. While Cathedral City beat it on texture, Aldi's cheese had the strongest smell. At £2.79 for 400g, it also proved better value than the branded alternative. The taste was the highest-scoring, and the texture was a mix of crumbly goodness and rich creaminess.
- Smell: 4/5
- Texture: 4/5
- Taste: 7/10
- Final score: 15/20
