Reviewed by
Olivia
Pong Cheese is an online cheese shop which also offers monthly subscription boxes, along with the ability to purchase individual cheeses, a variety of one off selection boxes and the necessary accompaniments and accessories for enjoying cheese. 
We were sent the classic tasting box to try, which is one of their one off selection boxes. It costs £20 and for this you get 4 different cheeses with an approx weight of 580g. This selection is designed to be a perfect introduction to artisan cheese and features cheeses from the UK and France.
I think one of the main problems with ordering cheese boxes online is always delivery. Most companies want someone to be in to accept the delivery, which isn’t always possible. 
However, our delivery from Pong was happily left in our safe place making it very convenient for the household where someone isn’t always at home during the day. There was a general air of excitement as we retrieved our box to open and peruse. It didn’t suffer at all from being left outside for a while as it was extremely well packaged and came with cool bags to regulate the temperature for a few hours.
The box contains a well rounded selection of cheeses perfect for the cheese board and for larger gatherings it would have something for everyone in there. Fortunately, for me there were only 2 of us to taste and share the selection.
First up we had the lovely Clifton Leaf to try which is a goat’s cheese that comes wrapped in a leaf. This had a creamy, delicate taste and was a definite favourite (which means it was happily fought over).
The next cheese in our box was actually a substitution for the normal cheese in the box Banon Vache de Chalais. Instead, we received Munster Ermitage. There was a note in the box telling us this was due to either a production issue or a quality issue. I appreciated the care taken both in making sure that only good quality cheeses are sent out and the care taken in both selecting a suitable replacement and informing us of this. The Munster Ermitage was a soft cheese with a delicate orange flavoured rind which was creamy and got more tasty and runny the longer it was left on thecheese board.
We then proceeded to try the Westcombe Cheddar, a lovely strong flavoured cheddar and my absolute favourite in the box, but then we are splitting hairs when I talk about my favourites!
Last up was the blue cheese, which was Blue Monday produced by Alex James. This had all the flavour I would expect and want from a blue cheese whilst still being creamy enough to be a great introduction to someone not used to blue cheeses. We got an impressive slab of this to work our way through!
All in all I thought the box was excellent value for money and it was extremely well curated. We thoroughly enjoyed all the cheeses and there were a number of envious looks from our four legged doggie friends whilst we were eating them. The delivery service was excellent and hassle free, although in the warmer summer months you might need to think more about actually being at home to receive the box. The only thing that would make me hesitant to take out a subscription to this service is the hassle in either ordering the selection as a one off each month or the big upfront financial outlay in taking a 3,6 or 12 month subscription. It would be great to be able to find a cheese subscription that works as a rolling subscription like most other subscription boxes now do. However, in this Pong is no different to any of their competitors who also do not offer rolling monthly subscriptions.
Pong was created to bring you some of the very best cheeses produced by the leading independent and artisan producers in the UK, complemented with some classics from Europe.
Each cheese is a little masterpiece of taste and texture and in most cases has a unique and highly skilled process behind its production. From the bizarre looking but phenomenal tasting ‘Oxford Blue’ to the now legendary ‘Stinking Bishop’, any of the cheeses available at Pong deserves centre stage.
We have created these special selections to bring you the best of our cheeses and to allow you to sit back and let us recommend great combinations. The Chef’s Selection is available as a one-off or you can order for 3, 6 or 12 months repeat deliveries so you can get up to a year’s worth of exciting variation!
- Chef’s Selection Standard box (around 1kg of cheese): £28 per month, plus shipping
- Chef’s Selection Superior box (around 2kg of cheese): £42 per month, plus shipping
Shipping is £4.95 to the UK.
None at the moment.
By Evelyn 
