I have been following this for years, but somehow the 2021 batch is the best so far. The Best blue cheese I have ever tasted.
Creamy yet powerful, and so incredibly complex and balanced. It’s expensive, a pound costs $56 per lb, but certainly gives a lot more pleasure than the average village Burgundy.
I agree, really special. I think I read that the pear leaves and pear brandy they use are from a neighbor’s farm, so I think it’s neat they have the local-terroir thing down. It has this extra nuoc mam aroma and umami thing going on on top of the normal Roquefort-like blue cheese complexity that makes it fairly unique to me.
Good for a bite or two. Although not as famous, Rogue Caveman Blue is my preference. To my palate, Rogue River Blue is too cloying for more than a few bites.
The local cheese shop carries it and the remainder of the wheel that came in at .50 lb and cost $23 with a discount. Amazing stuff.
Wrapped in pear spirit soaked syrah leaves. https://roguecreamery.com/rogue-river-blue/
Mark, have you ever tried Roaring 40s Blue from King Island? I like it better than the Rogue River, but it’s a different style (wax capped, rather than grape leaves, so texture is different). Been hard to source the last 5 years, but Murray’s had it in stock recently and we ordered. Looks like they’re sold out now, but one to watch for.