For all those who are tepid around goat cheese, Old Kentucky Tomme is a game-changer. Buttery and rich with mild “cellar” and white mushroom overtones, Old Kentucky Tomme falls somewhere between an American Jack and a Tomme du Savoie. When young, it has a smooth paste and a bloomy natural rind. The rind becomes crusty and darker with age and the flavor develops a slight lipase kick at the finish, while the texture becomes more translucent and shiny like a traditional Fontina.
In The New American Cheese, Laura Werlin points out that Old Kentucky is “especially noteworthy because of the depth of flavor.” We’re inclined to agree. This is not a cheese that hits you over the head and knocks you down — instead, it unfolds like the pages of a good book. As one of the first aged goat cheeses in the U.S., it has withstood the test of time and taste.