Bitto Cheese vs Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese

Bitto Cheese is a fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year cow and goat-milk cheese from Italy, while Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese is hard and made from cow milk.

What Is Bitto Cheese?

Bitto is a raw-milk PDO cheese from the alpine pastures of Sondrio in Lombardy, made only between 1 June and 30 September from cow's milk, sometimes with up to 10 percent goat's milk. Young wheels taste mild and sweet, and some are aged for years.

What Is Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese?

Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop is a hard cheese made in the parish of Dunlop, Scotland, using milk from Ayrshire cows. It has a natural pale yellow color and a smooth, close surface that feels moist when cut. The cheese develops a mild, nutty flavor when young, becoming creamier and more pronounced as it matures. It has a thin golden rind and a firm body that becomes drier with age. Ayrshire cows' milk, known for its smaller fat globules, helps retain moisture in the curd, contributing to the cheese's characteristic smooth texture. The cheese is traditionally cloth-bound and matured for a minimum of 6 months, with popular aging periods between 10 and 12 months. It is made using open vats, hand-cut curds, and a scalding process to develop its distinctive rind. Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop continues to be produced using the same artisan techniques established over 300 years ago.

What's the Difference Between Bitto Cheese and Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese?

• Milk type: Bitto Cheese (Cow's milk primarily, with non-mandatory addition of raw goat’s milk up to 10%), Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese (Cow)
• Milk treatment: Bitto Cheese (Raw), Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese (Raw or pasteurized)
• Texture: Bitto Cheese (fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year), Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese (Hard)
• Rind: Bitto Cheese (smooth, 2 to 4 mm thick, straw-yellow turning brownish yellow with age), Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese (Hard, thin, golden, slightly mottled, cloth-bound)
• Aging: Bitto Cheese (Minimum of 70 days), Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese (6 to 18 months (mild: 6–10 months, mature: 10–12 months, extra mature: 12–18 months))
• Taste: Bitto Cheese (mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age), Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese (Mild and nutty when young, develops creamier, stronger nutty flavors with age)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Taste Comparison: Does Bitto Cheese Taste Like Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese?

Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese brings mild and nutty when young, develops creamier, stronger nutty flavors with age character. More specifically, Bitto Cheese shows cooked at 118–126°f, finely cut curd, matured for a minimum of 70 days, while Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese leans toward subtle, rich, creamy, slightly sweet and nutty. Aging plays into this as well. Bitto Cheese at minimum of 70 days develops a different profile than Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese at 6 to 18 months (mild: 6–10 months, mature: 10–12 months, extra mature: 12–18 months).

Can You Substitute Bitto Cheese for Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese?

Bitto Cheese can stand in for Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year bite and body where the recipe calls for hard. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age while Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese brings mild and nutty when young, develops creamier, stronger nutty flavors with age notes.

Which Is Better, Bitto Cheese or Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year cheese, go with Bitto Cheese. For a hard profile, Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Bitto Cheese suits recipes that want mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age notes, while Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese fits dishes calling for mild and nutty when young, develops creamier, stronger nutty flavors with age.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bitto Cheese the same as Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk; Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese uses cow. Aging also differs: Bitto Cheese is typically aged minimum of 70 days, Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese 6 to 18 months (mild: 6–10 months, mature: 10–12 months, extra mature: 12–18 months).

Is Bitto Cheese similar to Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Bitto Cheese for Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Bitto Cheese taste like Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese?

Bitto Cheese reads as mild and sweet when young, stronger and spicier with age, while Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese is mild and nutty when young, develops creamier, stronger nutty flavors with age.

What is Bitto Cheese made of?

Bitto Cheese is made from cow and goat milk (raw), using calf rennet. It's typically aged minimum of 70 days. It originates in Italy.

What is Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese made of?

Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese is made from cow milk (raw or pasteurized). It's typically aged 6 to 18 months (mild: 6–10 months, mature: 10–12 months, extra mature: 12–18 months).

Which should I choose, Bitto Cheese or Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Bitto Cheese is fine-grained, sometimes with very few small holes; hard cheese from one year, while Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop Cheese is hard.