The Guardian conducted a supermarket brie tasting and rated a range of ready‑to‑buy wedges for flavour, texture and value, with the reviewer noting tasting at room temperature after at least an hour of airing.
The Guardian named M&S French mature ripening brie the best overall, calling it a well‑aged wedge with a brown‑and‑white rind and an aerated centre that melts into an oozy blob, priced at £3.50 for 200g at Ocado (£1.75/100g) and given four stars.
The tasting highlighted Baron Bigod as an upscale choice, priced at £10.50 for 250g at Ocado (£4.20/100g) and rated five stars, described as oozy, complex and mature with a pungent, earthy rind and a golden, gooey interior.
Other four‑star picks included Waitrose British Somerset brie, priced at £3.40 for 230g at Waitrose (£1.48/100g), praised for a pungent farmyard aroma and sweet taste, and Brie de Rouzaire at £3 for 165g at Morrisons (£1.82/100g), noted for a mature, earthy rind and gooey, ripe interior.
The review also covered several everyday supermarket options, including Cornish Cheese Co Cornish brie at £4.50 for 200g at Morrisons (£2.25/100g), Tesco British brie sold in different sizes and prices with solid value, Co‑op Somerset brie at £2.60 for 160g (£1.63/100g), and Lidl's Milbona French brie at £1.65 for 200g (83p/100g).
Value Notes And Tasting Method
The reviewer explained that packaging, long storage and refrigeration tend to intensify the natural farmyard ammonia from ripening, and that giving cheese time to breathe softens and dissipates those intense aromas, improving flavour perception.
Prices per 100g and retailer availability were reported alongside sensory notes to help buyers choose, with The Guardian describing some entries as excellent value and others as splurge purchases suitable for avid cheese lovers.
Texture and aroma ranged across the sample, from young, firm centres with fresh mushroom notes to gooey, mature interiors with complex farmyard and honeyed flavours, giving readers clear options by taste preference and budget.
