5 Great Swiss Cheeses That Are Not Swiss Cheese

Switzerland is known for chocolate, cuckoo clocks, the Alps, and cheese… especially Emmentaler, identifiable by its eyes or holes, and Gruyère, the country's most exported cheese. Both are technically Swiss cheeses, but not all Swiss cheese is Emmentaler or Gruyère.

Emmentaler and Gruyère have been produced in Switzerland since around the 12th century. Both cheeses have been widely copied and produced outside of Switzerland.

Ziggy von Frankenberg-Leu of Columbia Cheese and Cheese Professor editor Amy Sherman photo credit Lee Sherman

Siegfried “Ziggy” von Frankenberg, sales manager for Maker To Monger, is a cheesemonger (and sometimes cheese maker) who hails from America’s dairy heartland, Wisconsin. He describes Emmentaler and Gruyère as the heart and soul of Switzerland’s alpine food culture with origins going back over 500 years. About the history, he says, “Remote mountain communities relied on preserving milk as cheese–it was essential for survival. Winters were long and harsh in the high altitudes of the Alps. Transforming milk into large, long-aging wheels of cheese was the most reliable way to ensure food through the cold months.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Swiss cheese exports put Switzerland on the map as a premium cheese producer known throughout Europe. But two world wars in the 20th century decimated the export market.

The Swiss Cheese Union was formed to try and ease the stress of those tough economic times. However, the strict guidelines excluded all cheese production except the big three: Emmentaler, Gruyère, and Sbrinz. In the decades following the war, these cheeses would become the drivers for the export market again.”

Did you know that Switzerland produces over 700 types of cheeses? Only a handful are well known outside the country. This is partially due to the high number of dairies in the country, and the small quantities produced.

Swiss cheese making is rigorously regulated, ensuring an extremely high-quality product while safeguarding centuries of tradition and heritage. Many other factors contribute to the excellent quality of Swiss cheeses.

AOP Cheeses

Because Switzerland is not part of the European Union, it does not use the same designation of origin system. But rather, since 2000, the AOP (Appellation d’ Origine Protégée) or Protected Designation of Origin. Read more about geographic designation of origin labels.
AOP cheeses must be produced, processed, and matured in a clearly defined region, and must be produced with milk from the same region where it is made and matured. Other factors in the production of AOP cheeses include the exclusion of hormones in the milk. The cows must be fed fresh grasses or dried hay, never silage. And the milk to make the cheeses must be delivered to the creamery daily or twice daily and made into cheese within eighteen hours of delivery. The distance from the cows to the creamery cannot be more than 20 kilometers, or about 12.5 miles.

No matter which type of Swiss cheese you choose, it is guaranteed to be made with the same high-quality milk as an AOP cheese. Why is that? Switzerland has what is called a closed dairy system, meaning there is no trading of milk liquid into or out of the country. This applies to all cheeses made in Switzerland, not only the AOP cheeses.

Altogether, these distinctions help explain why Swiss cheeses are often produced on a smaller scale and follow different pricing structures. Switzerland’s agricultural practices (especially for their AOP cheeses) are deeply rooted in time-honored, handcrafted traditions that have been passed down for centuries.

Joe Salonia, the US sales and marketing manager for Gourmino, a company founded by five independent cheesemakers and based in Switzerland. Today, twelve cheesemakers produce, age, and market their own cheese and collectively own the company.

“This milk is what makes these cheeses so special. If aliens had one mission, to find the best place to make cheese in the world, they’d go to Switzerland,” says Salonia.

Clearly, Switzerland has a lot to offer beyond Emmentaler and Gruyère. Two experts share five of these lesser-known Swiss cheeses.

Salonia recommends two cheeses his company offers, Rockflower and Hornbacher.

Rockflower

Rockflower is an Alpine cheese made from the extra milk used to produce Emmentaler AOP. It is crafted by cheesemakers Albert and Silvio Schöpfer at their Mountain Dairy Kleinstein, located at the edge of a UNESCO biosphere zone.

Rockflower is named after the tiny yellow flowers that grow high in the protected pastures of the Entlebuch region. After production, it is further aged by Gourmino in their Reichenbach Mountain galleries for up to 12 months.

The extended aging process enhances its complexity, making Rockflower a truly special sensory experience. Salonia describes Rockflower “As a unique composition of rich, full flavor and semi-firm texture, that leaves the palate clean. Its flavor profile is well-balanced, offering layered notes of cream, umami, and pine nuts.”

Hornbacher

Affectionately known as the “baked potato cheese,” Hornbacher is made from fresh cow’s milk produced at a Swiss mountain dairy, Fritzenhaus, by award-winning master cheesemaker Michael Spycher. Spycher named Hornbacher for the river that flows past the dairy. Originally, it was only sold in the shop owned by Michael and his wife Monika.

At Gourmino, it is aged for twelve months and develops a firm, slightly crumbly texture, with occasional crystals. Salonia describes it as “layered with notes of roasted nuts, umami, caramel, and sweet onions. It has a somewhat crumbly texture and can develop crystals.”

Swiss-born Caroline Hostettler, founder of Save an Alp, pairs U.S cheesemongers with Swiss makers and cheeses so that they can better tell the story behind Swiss cheeses and cheesemakers. Hostettler recommends Hoch Ybrig and Glarner Schabziger (and too many others to mention here!).

Hoch Ybrig

Hoch Ybrig is a raw cheese made with milk from cows that feed only on fresh grass or hay. Hostettler notes, “Ybrig claims several firsts. It was the first cheese that was crafted like a Gruyère but without the needed time and labor. The fifteen pound wheel is basically made according to a Gruyère recipe. The smaller size guarantees that the wheel is at its peak after about six to eight months.

Another difference is the wash–a local apple cider adds some fruitiness to this beauty, made by a single producer, Sepp Gwerder in Küssnacht.

Hoch Ybrig is also the cheese that actually made folks here in the USA aware that there are so many other cheeses in Switzerland than the ubiquitous Emmental, Gruyère, and Appenzeller.”

Glarner Schabziger

Another recommendation from Hostettler is Glarner Schabziger (also known as Ziger). She calls it a tiny (less than three ounces) powerhouse. Glarner Schabziger was the very first trademarked food product of Switzerland, over 555 years ago. It was invented and made by one single producer, and still is toda

Glarner Schabziger’s main ingredient is whey, so it is a low fat product by nature. “There are dried and then powdered regional herbs and spices added, a (semi) secret mix. The cheese is kept in tanks for eight full months, then pressed into cylinder molds and packaged. It leaves the house immediately.”

Hostettler’s notes for Ziger will make any curd nerd salivate. She describes Ziger as “very dense, firm, compact, and comes in an unusual light green hue with no rind. It is consumed like a condiment rather than a cheese. A traditional way to serve it is freshly grated over elbow macaroni.

The bite will be sharp, and almost sticky to the palate. Aficionados keep a plate of grated Ziger in their fridge. When the craving hits, they butter a slice of bread and flip it in the Ziger.

Nowadays, not many people outside of the production area even know it, or want it. But those who grew up with it desperately ask for it. And yes, it is a very unique and very Swiss cheese!”

Now we all have to go to Switzerland to get some. Thanks, Caroline!

Both Salonia and Hostettler recommended Switzerland’s first AOP cheese, L’ Etivaz. Gourmino is a distributor.

L’Etivaz

L’Etivaz has the distinction of being the first cheese to earn the designation of AOP, a product of protected origin. An Alp cow’s milk cheese, L’Etivaz has a rich fruity and nutty flavor. It’s similar to Gruyère but sweeter and comes in a smaller wheel size.

L’Etivaz has a truly unique production process. It is made only in the summertime and only on an Alp, not in the lowlands. Additionally, it must be made over an open wood fire in a hut or chalet on the mountain.

It gets its name from the hamlet within the southwestern region of the Swiss Alps where it’s produced.

The production of L’Etivaz is a cooperative of 68 families. Each family owns at least one chalet on the Alp; some have more than one. In the latter instance, this allows a family to keep moving the cows up and around the mountain in the summer to maximize the fresh grasses and herbs growing on the Alp.

Additionally, all of the wheels are hand salted on the Alp but must be transported within seven days of production (never more) to the cooperative’s L’Etivaz cellar to be brined. The same tank is used for all wheels. Every wheel is logged and managed by the cellar master/affineur. At Gourmino, the L'Etivaz is released after 18-20 months of aging.