The EU protects all four names as PGIs, which means each must be made in Denmark, and the two best known to US shoppers are the blue and the buttery slicing cheese.
This page covers what each one is, how the protections differ and how to buy them in the US. The wider region is in the Scandinavian cheese guide.
Denmark cheese at a glance
Here is Denmark cheese at a glance: the four protected names, their style and when the EU registered them.
| Cheese | Milk | Style | EU protected name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danablu | Cow's | Sharp, salty, sliceable blue | PGI, 1996 |
| Esrom | Cow's | Semi-soft, smear-ripened, pungent | PGI, 1996 |
| Danbo | Cow's | Semi-soft, firm block, often with caraway | PGI, 2017 |
| Havarti | Cow's | Semi-soft, buttery, mild | PGI, 2019 |
Regulation (EC) No 1107/96 of June 12, 1996 registered Danablu and Esrom as PGIs. Danbo followed under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1901 of October 18, 2017, and Havarti was entered in October 2019, according to the GOV.UK listing.
Danish semi hard cheese and everyday styles
Danish semi hard cheese mostly means Danbo, a firm block cheese. Danbo is a cow's-milk cheese sold in rectangular blocks, and its traditional version carries caraway seeds. The aged version, Gamle Ole, is strong and sharp, and it is classically eaten on bread with raw onion and meat aspic.
Havarti sits just below it in firmness. It is semi-soft, smooth and mild, and the Havarti page covers creamy versus aged, melting and flavored versions such as dill.
Danablu and Danish blue cheese
Danablu is the Danish blue cheese, sold in the US as Danish Blue. The Danish Food Administration's specification limits it to Danish cow's milk and Danish production, and the full rules, the history of its maker Marius Boel and the flavor are in the Danablu guide. The Danish Blue profile is the short reference card. Expect a salty, sharp cheese that is softer and sliceable rather than crumbly.
Esrom, the pungent one
Esrom is Denmark's pungent semi-soft cheese. It is named for Esrom Abbey, where it was made until 1559, and modern production was standardized in the 1930s. It nearly faded after the 1960s and several dairies have since revived it. Think of it as a Trappist-style cheese with a strong aroma and a full, sweet taste.
Cooking with Denmark cheese
Cooking with Denmark cheese is mostly about the mild ones. Havarti melts smoothly, so it suits grilled cheese, quesadillas, burgers and casseroles, and dill Havarti adds flavor without extra seasoning. Danbo can stand in for fontina or a mild Gouda in a sandwich or a gratin. Danablu goes in dressings, steak sauces and salads, where a small amount carries a lot of salt, so season after tasting.
Serving Denmark cheese on a board
Serving Denmark cheese on a board works best with contrast: mild Havarti or Danbo, a wedge of Danablu, and Esrom if you can find it. Add rye bread, sliced pear, grapes, walnuts and a little honey for the blue. Plan about 1 to 2 ounces of each cheese per person as an appetizer, and the board builder scales the amounts by headcount. Pilsner or amber ale suits the mild cheeses, while a porter or a sweet wine such as Sauternes suits Danablu.
How Danes eat Denmark cheese
Danes eat Denmark cheese mostly on bread. Rye bread with a slice of Havarti or Danbo, sometimes with cucumber, radish or smoked salmon, is the everyday pattern, and the strong cheeses play the supporting role.
That makes the mild ones forgiving for cooking in the US. Havarti melts fast for grilled cheese, and Danbo works where you would use a mild semi-soft cheese like fontina.
How to find Denmark cheese in the US
To find Denmark cheese in the US, look for Havarti first, since nearly every supermarket carries it, then Danablu in the blue section.
Check the origin line. Havarti is made well beyond Denmark, including in Wisconsin, and EU protection does not reach US shelves on its own, so "Havarti" on a pack tells you the style but not the country. A pack that says "Product of Denmark" does. Danbo and Esrom are harder: ask a cheese counter or a Scandinavian import shop. The PDO and PGI guide explains the labels.
Storing Denmark cheese
Storing Denmark cheese is easy. Wrap Havarti and Danbo in wax or parchment, then loosely in plastic, and keep them in the warmest part of the refrigerator, usually the vegetable drawer. Danablu dries and turns sharper if left uncovered, so wrap it tightly and keep it away from milder cheeses, whose flavor it can pick up. Esrom's smear-ripened rind has a strong smell, so give it its own container.
What most Denmark cheese lists get wrong
Most Denmark cheese lists get the protection wrong. They name Danablu as the only protected Danish cheese, or they say Havarti is unprotected. In fact the register holds four Danish cheese names, and Havarti was added in 2019.
They also skip Danbo, which is the cheese Danes actually have most often on bread, and Esrom, the one with real character.
Questions about Denmark cheese
These are the most common questions about Denmark cheese.
What cheese is Denmark known for?
Denmark is known for Danablu, the sharp blue, and Havarti, the mild buttery table cheese.
What is a Danish semi hard cheese?
A Danish semi hard cheese is usually Danbo, a firm cow's-milk block cheese that can carry caraway.
Is Havarti a protected cheese?
Havarti is protected as an EU PGI, entered in the register in October 2019.
Is Danish cheese strong?
Danish cheese is mostly mild, with Danablu and Esrom as the strong exceptions.
Where to start with Denmark cheese
Start with Denmark cheese by buying Havarti and Danablu together and tasting them with rye bread and a sliced pear. Then try dill Havarti in a grilled cheese. The pairing guide has beers and wines to match.