MORE GREAT GIN & CHEESE PAIRINGS

Choose gin when serving your cheese course

Gin, like wine, can be imbibed at all times of the year. By choosing gins with different flavour profiles and pairing with different mixers or creating cocktails that suit warmer or cooler climes, delicious drinks can be constructed to suit all palates. In addition, gin isn’t just a pre-dinner aperitif. It can be consumed throughout a meal and paired with mouthwatering savoury and sweet dishes. When pairing foods we look for complementary flavour profiles and cheese is a great example of how well gin pairs with food.

Balancing flavourful cheeses which can range from salty, umami, citrus, buttery and fudgy with the dominant piney juniper and additional botanical flavours in gins is an exciting and interesting journey.

Back in 2018 and 2019 we went on this journey with cheese judge Toby Murray to pair Campfire London Dry, Campfire Cask Aged and Campfire Navy Strength Gins with cheese. Now the Campfire Gin range extends to Campfire Old Tom and to explore the gin and cheese pairing further we invited James Grant from deli No2 Pound Street in Wendover, Bucks to the distillery. James is a World Cheese Judge, cheese writer and specialist British cheese retailer.

Our Campfire Gins paired with cheese selected by No2 Pound Street

At our recent distillery gin and cheese pairing evening we challenged James to pair our four Campfire Gins with matched mixers to four British cheeses. We also chose three of our favourite cocktails which brought in additional flavour notes from mint to smokey Lapsang Souchong tea to the punchy citrus and alcohol hit of a Campfire Bone Dry Martini. Not an easy task! We think James’s cheese selection and intimate knowledge of the British producers and production processes was absolutely superb and so did the lucky guests that managed to get tickets to this popular event. Read on for our guide to gin and cheese pairing with Campfire Gin and Campfire Gin cocktails.

Cheese pairing with Campfire London Dry Gin and Indian Tonic

Gin profile

Refreshing and complex juniper, sweet orange and rich golden berry, served with Fever-Tree Indian Tonic Water.

Cheese

Elrick Log (raw)Made by Walston Braehead Farm, Lanark. A yeast ripened goats log. Beautifully citrussy in the heart of the paste with an unctuous creamy halo under the spicy rind offering an awesome mouthfeel that brings all together perfectly.

Cheese pairing with Campfire Old Tom Gin and Lemonade

Gin profile

Fragrant and lightly spiced with a hint of roasted barley sweetness, served with Fever-Tree Lemonade.

Cheese

Little Lonsdale (raw)Made by Holker Farm, Cumbria. An ash coated mould ripened ewes cheese. It offers savoury and delicate burnt cream notes with a clean milky heart.

Cheese pairing with Campfire Cask Aged Gin and Ginger Ale

Gin profile

Rested in American oak ex-bourbon casks this golden gin gains additional vanilla, caramel and soft bourbon notes, served with Fever-Tree Ginger Ale.

Cheese

Highmoore (organic)Made by Nettlebed Creamery, Oxfordshire. Washed rind with meaty notes on the rind leading to a buttery and brioche paste.

Cheese pairing with Campfire Navy Strength Gin and Mediterranean Tonic

Gin profile

Dry, smooth and zesty with pleasing candied fruit notes, served with Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic.

Cheese

Seaweed Gouda (raw, organic)Made by Caws Teifi, Ceredigion. A beautiful upfront caramel umami note finished with the salt and forest floor notes offered through the seaweed.

Campfire Gin cocktails paired with cheese

Mint Julep with Campfire Old Tom Gin

Tantalisingly cool, fresh and minty made with Campfire Old Tom Gin, peppermint tea syrup and crushed ice.

Cheese

Rachel (unpasteurised)Made by Whitelake Dairy, Somerset. A delicious, sweet and nutty cheese that has a long and very moreish length on the palate. This is a goats cheese without being too animal.

Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire with Campfire Cask Aged Gin

Notes of chocolate and smokey Lapsang Souchong cold brew tea with fresh lime, vanilla syrup and Campfire Cask Aged Gin.

Cheese

Pitchfork Cheddar (raw, organic)Made by The Dairy, Somerset. A clean buttery and fudgy taste at the heart with richer more horseradish notes as you get to the rind.

Campfire Bone Dry Martini with Campfire London Dry Gin

Our World’s Best Martini Challenge winning recipe! Campfire London Dry Gin and Dolin Dry Vermouth with orange peel garnish soaked in sweet vermouth.

Cheese

Stichelton Blue (raw)Made by Stichelton Dairy, Nottinghamshire. Umami on the rind almost marmite yeast with a rich buttery paste and piquant blue without any unpleasant acidity.

For more Campfire Gin and cheese pairings check out our previous collaboration with Toby Murray.