7 Swiss cheeses that are a must-try for cheese lovers

Did you know that it takes six years of study, including academic training and apprenticeships, to become a ‘master cheese maker’ in Switzerland? A total of 600 Swiss cheese factories operate at full capacity all year round, without weekends, because the cows never stop, and only freshly milked raw milk is used for cheese production. 

Behind every cheese crust lies history, tradition and even secrets that have been kept for generations. How did cheese become an integral part of Swiss culture and why is the secret of its flavour impossible to replicate outside the country? Immerse yourself in a world of cheese diversity where every bite is a journey through time.

1. Raclette du Valais

The Valais region has been producing this variety for centuries and it is believed that the first peasants ate it as a family by melting it in the fireplace. They would put it on the fire, then ‘scrape’ the melted cheese and serve it on a plate. This method evolved into modern raclette grills for cooking and tasting recipes at the table. This dish is still commonly shared with friends or family.

2. L'Etivaz

L'Etivaz is produced by just 70 Swiss families, and just imagine, it yields around 400 tonnes of cheese a year. Only raw milk is used for this variety, which does not need to be transported, so the cheese masters live and work from 10 May to 10 October in high mountain villages at an altitude of 1,500 metres above sea level. L'Etivaz has a fruity flavour with notes of walnut, alpine herbs and smoke from the forest wood used to heat the raw milk.

3. Sbrinz

This is probably one of the oldest Swiss cheeses, originating from the central region of Lucerne. From there, giant heads of cheese were transported to Italy on the backs of mules. Sbrinz is produced by 380 milk producers (who must turn it in within 15 hours of milking), 29 cheese factories and four ‘ripeners’. The latter process, which differs from cheese-making, consists of processing the cheese and preserving it - for 18-24 months - until it reaches the optimum degree of maturity. This produces a very hard cheese that can be sliced and complemented with grapes, dried fruit and a good white wine, or grated and used in gratin and risotto.

4. Gruyère

The prerequisite for a true Gruyère cheese is that its milk cows must graze freely in the Swiss Alps. The first documents mentioning this variety date back to 1115, and throughout the Middle Ages it served as the payment of peasants to their lords. In the mid-eighteenth century production was almost 3,000 tonnes a year, and today it is over 29,000 tonnes a year.

The strict conditions of artisanal production require that only one batch of cheese is produced per day and that the dairy farm is no more than 20 kilometres from where it is made. Curiously, there are no giant holes in Gruyere, just a few small, pea-sized holes. The making of the cheese is completed by a maturation process that lasts from five to 12 months. Gruyere is processed by rubbing the rind with salt water to give it a unique flavour, and from there it goes into a fondue pot.

5. Emmentaler

Only five per cent of the world's Emmentaler, which is also produced in France and Germany, has a Swiss designation of origin and guarantees an artisanal process.
It hails from the idyllic hills of the Emme Valley, where it originated in the 13th century. The largest heads of this cheese can weigh up to 120 kilos. It takes 1,000 litres of raw milk to produce a single slice. The characteristic holes in Emmentaler cheese are formed during ripening in warm caves at temperatures between 20 and 24 degrees centigrade. During the fermentation process, carbon dioxide is released inside the cheese, which cannot rise above the rind and remains as a hollow bubble inside the cheese.

6. Tête de Moine

The name Tête de Moine (monk's head) refers to the perfectly smooth head of cheese that catches the eye when the rind is opened. It was the monks of the Abbey of Belleley who began making this cheese in the 12th century. Originally, the cheese was cut with a razor, but in the 1980s, the girolle knife was invented, a curious tool that is stuck into the cheese and turned to extract shavings in the shape of flowers.

7. Appenzeller

The most interesting thing about this type of cheese is the mystery surrounding its production and, importantly, it is impossible to replicate its creation outside of Switzerland. Only two people in the world know the secret recipe for the marinade, called ‘sluz’, which contains 25 aromatic herbs, flowers, roots, seeds and white wine. The recipe is kept in a safe and passed down from generation to generation. During the ripening process, the rind of the Appenzeller cheese is rubbed twice a week with the sluz marinade to give it a reddish colour.

Conclusion

Swiss cheese is not just a product, but a true cultural heritage that combines history, nature and craftsmanship. Each of these unique varieties tells its own story, linked to place, time and the people who create cheese with love and respect for tradition. To taste these cheeses is to touch the soul of Switzerland, to taste the mountains, alpine meadows and the purest air. Let every tasting be a little journey to this wonderful country where cheese is a way of life.