Great Cheese Gifts for Dads, According to Experts

It’s (almost) too obvious to begin a Father’s Day story with a dad joke, but we’ll do it anyway, as there’s no denying that dads are some of the cheesiest people around. Dads love cheese in all its forms, though, not just the metaphorical curd play that comes with crafting cheesy puns.

Cheeses and cheese-adjacent gifts are great for many occasions, and we’ve previously supplied numerous guides on the topic. Read about the best cheese of the month subscriptions, gifts for blue cheese lovers, and just a bona fide guide for all cheese lovers. For this Father’s Day, though, we’re going deep into the canon for those cheese finds that are giving big dad energy, according to experts.

 

Colston Bassett Stilton Or Roelli Little Mountain

Take it from a cheese expert who…wait for it…is a dad! Contributing Cheese Professor editor David Phillips, a self-described “very experienced dad” has lots of good ideas for cheese treats in his pieces about Why Beer Pairs Well with Cheese and How to Do It, and to get even more specific, The Best IPA and Cheese Pairings, and Pairing Saison Beers with Alpine Cheese. So it’s no surprise that one of his personal Father’s Day treats would be similarly on theme: “I would personally love to get Colston Bassett Stilton with a classic barrel aged stout like Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout,” he says. Read more about Stilton.

 

For a general recommendation though, he makes an excellent point to not rule out chocolate for the dads: “I think dads love chocolate as much as moms do,” he says. “How about Roelli Little Mountain with a nice set of chocolates, and Seedz gluten-free crackers?” Roelli Little Mountain is a Wisconsin-made, Alpine-style cheese modeled after Appenzeller, whose flavor is described as nutty. Another good dad metaphor, while we’re at it. (For chocolate recommendations, check out our sister site The Chocolate Professor.)

 

Murray’s Cave-Aged Reserve Greensward and Pacific Pickle Works

Isabelle Brosen, Assistant Manager for Events and Education at Murray’s Cheese seconds the Alpine-style suggestion for a dad treat: “[Alpines] have a deep, nutty and meaty flavor, perfect for slapping on some burgers on the grill,” she says.

For a specific Alpine-style for your favorite flannel-wearing father, she recommends Greensward. “For the beer and cider loving dads, definitely try Greensward” she says. “This boozy, woodsy, and bacon-y cheese is the perfect treat for Father’s Day.” Made in partnership between Jasper Hill and Murray’s Cheese, Greensward is wrapped in spruce bark and washed with hard cider giving it that folksy, dad-like comfort flavor. For favorite-child bonus points, “you can also add any of Pacific Pickle Works’ spicy pickles to up your grilling and burger game.” Not for nothing, but their flavor names are also giving dad energy, such as Carriots of Fire, No Big Dill, and Brussizzle Sprouts.  Read more about Murray’s.

 

Sandeman Port Washed Jasper Hill Cheese Father’s Day Gift Box

Amy Sherman, editor-in-chief of Cheese Professor shares that while her father passed away several years ago, Father’s Day is still a time to celebrate. “I miss my father terribly, but he loved fine food and wine, and sharing it with his family, so now I enjoy delicious things in his honor.” Her splurge for dad is the Sandeman Port Washed Jasper Hill Cheese Father’s Day Gift Box. “A cheese club subscription would be fantastic for any cheese lover and this box comes with a selection of some of the best of Jasper Hill including a couple of wheels of Harbison washed in Sandeman Ruby Port, Cabot Clothbound Black Label, and Bayely Hazen Blue. A bottle of Sandeman Founder’s Reserve Ruby Port is affordable and a perfect for pairing with the cheese. Read more about Port and cheese pairings.

 

Handcrafted Buffalo Horn Cheese Knives

Because a dad without a gadget is just…nonexistent? Am I wrong? You could go full girolle for dad this Father’s Day, but that’s the kind of thing you want to make sure he’ll actually use regularly. (Knowing dad, he’ll probably find myriad uses for it beyond cheese.)

To keep it more immediately practical, though, “for the cheese-loving dad, a very cool cheese knife set is a thoughtful gift,” says Cheese Professor contributor Hannah Howard. This buffalo horn set from Pottery Barn definitely brings the snazzy vibes, but if you really aim to please. “These from Artmeist are a splurge,” she says, “but absolutely striking.”

 

Weinkase Lagrein

If there’s ever a cheese that has dad written all over it, for me, it’s this one. To start, it’s got this kind of funny name, but it’s actually just a really accurate description: weinkase, meaning “wine cheese,” and Lagrein, the name of the big red, Alto Adige wine that the wheels are soaked in. 

Added to the wine during the soak is a combination of garlic and herbs for a cheese that doesn’t just go well with sausage, but…wait for it…tastes like sausage. This could be a present for your dad, or a clever treat for yourself. If you think your dad doesn’t much go for “fancy” cheese, might this sausage-esque wheel be the one to convert him? Try it on your Father’s Day cheese board, and find out.

Read more on Father’s Day: How Family Creameries Will Celebrate Father’s Day and How You Can Too