Amsterdam: Dutch Cheese Tasting Experience with Wine

The main pleasure here is simple: you taste five Dutch Gouda cheeses side by side and learn why age, milk, and texture matter. The session includes three wines, including port, so you get a small but useful lesson in matching cheese and drink rather than just a plate of samples.

I like the friendly teaching style and the chance to try both cow and goat Gouda. I also like the 20% shop discount afterward, which makes it easy to buy a favorite without paying full price. The main drawback is practical: the tasting room is upstairs and reachable only by stairs, so it is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.

Key points to know

• Five Gouda cheeses: Compare different ages, styles, and textures in one sitting.
• Three wine pairings: Taste one red, one white, and one port selected to suit the cheese.
• Old Amsterdam story: Learn about the family-run Westland Kaasspecialiteiten business and its best-known cheese.
• Entertaining guides: Aris, Rik, Ron, Roberta, and others have led sessions praised for humor and clear explanations.
• Shop savings: Use the included 20% discount to buy cheese downstairs after the tasting.
• Short central activity: At 45 minutes, this fits neatly between museums, canal walks, or dinner plans.

Five Gouda cheeses in 45 minutes

This is a compact Amsterdam food experience, not a full farm visit or a long cooking class. You meet at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store, then go upstairs to the tasting room for a guided session lasting about 45 minutes.

The format works because the cheese arrives as a sequence rather than one large plate. You can focus on how each sample differs, then use the next sip of wine, water, or a piece of fig bread to reset your palate.

You should expect five Gouda cheeses. The exact order and selection can vary, but the tasting includes Old Amsterdam and may include both cow and goat cheeses. That comparison is useful if you think Gouda is always mild and familiar. Young cheese can be soft and gentle, while older cheese has a firmer bite and more pronounced flavor.

The portions are tasting portions, not lunch. Several people find them generous enough for the session, but you should not book this as a substitute for a full meal. It is best placed before dinner, after a light meal, or as a mid-afternoon break.

What Old Amsterdam adds to the experience

Old Amsterdam is not just one more cheese on the board. It gives the session a clear thread, since the guide explains the company, its cheese-making traditions, and the family-run Westland Kaasspecialiteiten business behind the brand.

The recipes are kept private, but the tasting offers clues about the finished cheese. You learn how aging changes firmness and flavor, and how the cheese can work with different foods and drinks. That makes the story useful rather than a simple brand presentation.

I especially like this part if you want context for what you are buying in Dutch shops. Amsterdam has cheese stores everywhere, and it is easy to pick a package based only on appearance. After this session, you have a better sense of what to look for in an aged Gouda, a goat cheese, or a flavored variety.

The shop downstairs also gives the tasting a practical ending. You receive a 20% discount on purchases, so you can take home a cheese you already tasted instead of guessing. One session also included a complimentary chutney, but treat that as an occasional extra rather than a guaranteed part of the package.

Red, white, and port with Dutch cheese

The wine is a real reason to choose this tasting over a basic cheese sample. You receive one red wine, one white wine, and one port, selected by a sommelier to complement the cheeses.

The point is not to judge the wines as a formal wine tasting. Instead, you see how the same cheese changes when paired with a different drink. A red may suit a firmer, older cheese, while a white can make a milder sample feel fresher. Port brings a sweeter contrast that can work well with salty, mature cheese.

You also receive water and fig bread. These are small details, but they matter in a short tasting. Water helps clear your palate, while fig bread adds sweetness and texture between samples.

Some sessions have been especially generous with the wine, and a refill has been available when requested. Still, the official inclusion is one red, one white, and one port, so plan around those stated servings rather than expecting an open bar.

The alcohol rule is clear: you must be at least 18 to drink. The activity is therefore less suitable for a family group with younger children, unless the adults are happy for children to attend without tasting the wine. The supplied details do not promise alternative drinks beyond water.

The guides make the short format work

A 45-minute tasting can feel rushed if the host simply reads facts from a card. Here, the guide is central to the experience.

Aris has been praised for making the session funny and lively while still explaining the cheese-making process. Rik has led sessions focused on wine pairing, aging, and questions from the group. Other named hosts include Ron, Roberta, Maria, and Ares, and the tone can differ slightly depending on who leads your sitting.

That variation is worth knowing. You are booking a set experience, but not necessarily one fixed personality or presentation. The common thread is an English-speaking host who explains how cheese is made, how it is aged, and how to pair it with food and wine.

The strongest sessions seem to balance information with conversation. You can ask questions, and the host checks that the group is following along. That helps make technical points about milk, aging, and texture easy to grasp.

There is also a social side. The room may hold a group of around 18, though some sittings are much smaller. A small group of two couples can feel almost private, while a full room will be noisier and more communal. If you enjoy chatting with people over food, that is part of the appeal. If you want a quiet, formal tasting, the atmosphere may feel more playful than polished.

A useful stop for a food-focused Amsterdam day

This activity fits neatly into a sightseeing schedule because it does not consume half a day. You can pair it with a museum visit, a canal walk, or shopping in central Amsterdam.

The location at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store also means you finish where you can browse more products. That is convenient, but it can encourage impulse buying. The 20% discount is worthwhile only if you genuinely like the cheese and can carry it comfortably for the rest of your day.

The session also provides shelter from Amsterdam weather. One tasting room was described as cozy and air-conditioned, which can be welcome on a hot day. The room is upstairs, so remember the stairs when planning your route and footwear.

The meeting point is the store itself, not a farm or production facility. You will learn about cheese-making, but you will not be watching milk being turned into cheese on-site. That distinction matters if you are comparing this with a countryside dairy visit.

Is $23 good value?

At $23 per person, the price is fair for Amsterdam if you value the guided explanation and the wine. You receive five cheeses, three wines, fig bread, water, an instructor, and a 20% shop discount. The session also gives you a simple way to understand Dutch cheese before spending more money in the shop.

The value is strongest for someone who enjoys both food and explanation. If you only want a few free cheese samples, a shop tasting may be enough. If you want to compare cheeses in a proper sitting and learn why they taste different, the paid session earns its price.

You should also account for the short duration. The experience is not designed to fill an afternoon. At 45 minutes, it is a good add-on rather than the main event of your day.

For a special occasion, it can work well. One person took a parent for a birthday, while other groups used it as a relaxed activity with friends or family. The humor of the host helps prevent the session from feeling stiff, and the tasting gives everyone something to discuss.

Who should book this tasting?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want a Dutch food experience without leaving Amsterdam. It suits couples, friends, families with adult children, and solo visitors who are comfortable joining a group.

It is also a good choice for anyone who assumes all Gouda tastes alike. The side-by-side format makes the differences clear, especially between younger and older cheese and between cow and goat milk.

Wine drinkers will get extra value from the pairings. The port is a nice change from the usual red-and-white setup, and the session shows how a sweet wine can work with salty cheese.

You may want to skip it if you do not drink alcohol, cannot climb stairs, or want a substantial meal. The tasting room has no step-free access, and the activity is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. It is also not the right pick if your main goal is to see a working cheese farm.

What to know before you arrive

The host or greeter speaks English, and the activity is offered in English. You meet at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store, then go to the first-floor tasting room.

Allow time to find the store and arrive ready to start. Since the activity is short, a late arrival can mean missing part of the introduction or the first cheese.

The official duration is 45 minutes. One individual account described spending closer to an hour and a half at the venue, but that should not be treated as the standard schedule. Plan your day around 45 minutes, with a little extra time if you want to shop afterward.

The activity allows cancellation up to 24 hours before the start for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms are useful if your Amsterdam plans are still moving around.

My call: a smart, tasty short stop

Book this if you want a relaxed introduction to Dutch cheese, a few well-matched wines, and an entertaining English-speaking guide. The combination of five Gouda samples, Old Amsterdam background, and a 20% store discount gives you more than a quick nibble at a counter.

I would be especially keen to book it on a rainy afternoon, before dinner, or early in a stay when I want to learn what Dutch cheese to buy. Just remember that the samples are not a full meal, the room is upstairs, and the exact host may vary.

For $23, this is a practical pick for cheese lovers and curious eaters. It is short, social, and easy to fit into Amsterdam plans, with enough useful information to make your next cheese-shop visit more rewarding.

FAQ

Where does the Amsterdam cheese tasting take place?

Meet at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store in Amsterdam. The tasting room is on the first floor of the store.

How long does the cheese tasting last?

The scheduled duration is 45 minutes.

How many cheeses will I taste?

You will taste five different Gouda cheeses. The selection can include both cow and goat cheeses, along with Old Amsterdam.

What wines are included?

The tasting includes one red wine, one white wine, and one port wine. The wines are selected to pair with the cheeses.

Is food included besides cheese?

Fig bread and water are included. The cheese portions are designed for tasting rather than as a full meal.

Is the activity offered in English?

Yes. The host or greeter speaks English, and English is the listed language for the activity.

Can children join the tasting?

The minimum age for drinking alcohol is 18. The supplied information does not specify a separate child price or alcohol-free tasting arrangement.

Is the tasting room accessible without stairs?

No. The tasting room is on the first floor and can only be reached by stairs. The activity is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.