Cheese advent calendars for an alternative Christmas countdown: Paxton & Whitfield vs ‘So Wrong it’s Nom’

Rating: 9/10

Paxton & Whitfield has a fine pedigree. The London company has specialised in artisan farmhouse cheeses since 1797, when it was appointed cheesemonger to Queen Victoria and counted Winston Churchill among its fans. Naturally, we were expecting a fine selection of cheeses in its first ever advent calendar, and we weren’t disappointed.

The company gets around the fridge-door dilemma by delivering the 24 cheeses in three batches of eight, packaged in a box lined with sheep’s wool and reusable ice packs and sent via an overnight, carbon-neutral delivery (a detail we appreciated). And each individual cheese is nestled in its own straw-filled box.

The packaging is simple and elegant, with a wreath and number printed on a black background. Each of the cheeses is individually wrapped in wax paper with some background on the style and maker, alongside tasting notes and pairing suggestions, inside the lid. It feels luxurious, like a really, really fabulous friend has shipped you some favourite cheeses they selected from the deli, and it reflects the quality of what’s inside.

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These are not tiny rounds of cheese – they are generous wedges and blocks, weighing at least 75g each. Based on the company’s usual prices, £150 represents decent value when you take into account the included delivery and charming packaging.

The sheer variety of the British and European cheeses is also a top selling point. We enjoyed an aged cheddar and the red Leicester was probably the best we’ve ever tasted. There was also a soft goat’s cheese rolled in charcoal which was deliciously creamy and tangy, and velvety blues like perl las from Carmarthenshire, Wales and (of course) a stilton.

You could eat one cheese each day, but it’s perhaps more likely that you’ll want to use them as the basis for a few top-notch cheese boards through the festive season. It isn’t the cheapest, by a long way. But you would expect to pay more than usual for cheeses of this calibre, so it’s really a matter of how much you really love tasting a variety of different styles – and the average household shouldn’t need to buy any other cheeses for Christmas.

Rating: 7.5/10

The first thing to note about the So Wrong it’s Nom cheese advent calendar is the price. It’s almost unbelievably cheap. Given the cute packaging and the range of individual cheeses inside, it’s great value for money.

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The calendar has a wreath design on the front with “baubles” of cheese, opening up like a book to reveal 24 numbered windows, classic advent style. Behind each is an individually wrapped round of cheese that can be eaten in a few satisfying bites.

It’s produced by Annem Hobson, who blogs about cheese via So Wrong it’s Nom, in collaboration with Yeovil, Somerset based Ilchester Cheese. So, while these don’t quite hit the quality levels of those in the Paxton & Whitfield box (£150, Paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk), they’re perfectly lovely and a far cry from cheap plasticky cheeses.

A decent range of styles includes aged and applewood-smoked cheddars, red Leicester and the addictive Mexicana, a cheddar shot through with bell pepper, jalapeños and chilli. We also loved the limited-edition (and fabulously festive) apple, onion and sage, which had a decent balance between sweet, tart and herby and would be a nice addition to Boxing Day leftovers.

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Where it falls a little short is the surprise factor: there are nine types of cheese, mostly quite everyday varieties, and aside from the festive flavours you’re unlikely to discover anything new. These are approachable cheeses with nothing that will blow your mind or tastebuds. Many people, of course, will prefer that to an array of strong and potentially pungent cheeses. And, again, given the price it exceeds expectations. It fits neatly in the fridge door, looks jolly and offers up a nice nibble of cheese every day. What’s not to love?