Cheese Tasting Experience

Cheese Tasting Experience

Join us for the ultimate cheese-filled evening at Kents Cavern for our Cheese Tasting Experience.

Your experience begins with a welcome cheese and cider pairing before heading underground for a guided tour of the caves – home to our very own cave-aged cheddar, maturing deep inside. You’ll also get to experience our famous blind cheese tasting in the darkness of the Bear’s Den (as featured on BBC Spotlight!)

Finally, lead by the fabulous Cheese Queens, you’ll enjoy a sensational cheese dining experience featuring the best local cheeses, perfectly paired accompaniments, handy tasting tips, and a few cheesy quiz questions thrown in for good measure.

About the Experience

Looking for a cheese tasting event in Torquay that’s anything but ordinary? At Kents Cavern, we’ve combined cave exploration with artisan cheese dining to create an unforgettable evening.

Perfect for date nights, foodies, and groups of friends, this event celebrates the rich flavours of local Devon cheeses in one of the most atmospheric venues in the South West.

We hosted our first ever cheese dining experience in February 2025 to celebrate Valentine’s Day, marking the launch of our very own Cave-Aged Cheddar. The event was a huge success – so much so that it featured on BBC Spotlight and sparked interest far and wide, especially for our unique blind cheese tasting experience in the darkness of the Bear’s Den!

Lead by the fabulous Cheese Queens, the dining aspect promises a relaxed and entertaining evening full of delicious cheeses, perfect pairings, top tasting tips and fun quizzes.

Can’t make this event? Why not come along to Kents Cavern for a guided daytime tour and see the cheese on display maturing deep within. You can purchase packaged cave-aged cheddar from our gift shop, or try it in a Cheese Ploughmans lunch in our cafe!

Why Kents Cavern?

Our cheese isn’t just served here – it’s matured deep within the caves. As one of Devon’s most iconic historic landmarks, Kents Cavern provides an immersive setting, making this a cheese tasting experience like no other in the UK. We’ve even been featured on BBC Spotlight for our unique cave-aged cheddar and sensory blind tasting in complete darkness!

The unique, natural conditions of Kents Cavern (consistent temperature and humidity) are ideal for maturing cheddar through a process called ‘cave-ageing’.

To be classed as ‘cave-aged’, wheels of cheddar must be kept underground for at least 6 weeks. Spending this time in the cave enhances the texture, taste, and aroma, creating a bold and robust flavour. The longer the cheese is kept in the cave, the more mature it will be.

This traditional technique is centuries old and continues to produce some of the finest cheeses in the world.

Every week, the Kents Cavern Cheese Team enter the cave to wipe the clothbound cheddar and flip it over. Once mature enough, a truckle is brought out of the cave, and the cloth and rind are removed before the cheddar is cut up and packaged ready to use in our restaurant and sold in the gift shop.

What else do i need to know

• We recommend arriving with an empty stomach to fully enjoy the tasting experience.
• The caves are a constant 15C so please dress comfortably and wear sensible footwear
• We regret that wheelchair users are unable to navigate beyond the first chamber so would be unable to complete the cave tour aspect of this event
• Tickets available online or at the Kents Cavern ticket office.
• This event is an 18+ event. If you look under the age of 25 you will be asked to present photo ID
• Additional drinks will be available to purchase from our cafe-bar

Dietary Requirements

If you have any special dietary requirements then please get in touch in advance. We regret that due to the nature of the event, we are unable to cater for Vegan or dairy-free diets.

Some of the cheeses on offer (including our own Cave-Aged Cheddar) are made with microbial rennet so aren’t suitable for Vegetarians. We may be able to offer an alternative with sufficient notice.

We can provide gluten-free alternatives to crackers and bread served with your cheese. Please provide sufficient notice.