Cheese and Wine tasting in Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s cheese culture gets a focused, tasty introduction in this 55-minute tasting above the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store. You sample five award-winning cheeses from 2024, then test them with selected wines while a guide explains age, milk type, production, and pairing.

I like the clear structure and the chance to compare younger and older cheeses, including goat and cow milk varieties. I also like the small-group feel, with a maximum of 26 people and occasional sessions that are much smaller. The main consideration is that this takes place in a cheese shop, so part of the experience also serves as a gentle introduction to the store’s products.

Key points at a glance

• Five Dutch cheeses: Taste a set of award-winning cheeses, with past sessions featuring Gouda, goat cheese, and cow cheese at different ages.
• Three wine styles: Pair the cheese with white wine, red wine, and Portuguese ruby Port, with some sessions also including two white wines.
• A guide-led lesson: Hosts such as Ron, Maria, Rick, and Luca have explained cheese making, aging, Dutch traditions, and pairing choices.
• A convenient Damrak address: Meet at Damrak 62HS, close to public transportation and central Amsterdam sights.
• A social one-hour break: The tasting can suit couples, solo visitors, friends, and small groups, with a maximum of 26 people.
• A practical shopping bonus: You can buy cheese in the store afterward, and one recent session included a 10 percent discount.

Five cheeses, three wines, and a short lesson

The heart of the experience is simple: taste five cheeses, drink several wines, and learn why some combinations work better than others. That format gives you more than a quick cheese sample at a market counter, but it does not consume half your day.

The cheese selection focuses on Dutch styles, especially Gouda. The exact lineup may vary, but past tastings have included three cow cheeses and two goat cheeses, with ages ranging from about four to 18 months. That age comparison matters. A younger cheese tends to offer a softer, milder taste, while a longer-aged cheese can bring more firmness and stronger savory notes.

You are not just handed five pieces and left to guess. The presenter explains what you are tasting and how the cheese was made. You may learn to tell goat milk from cow milk, spot differences caused by aging, and notice how texture changes over time.

The wine side is equally useful for beginners. Sessions have included one white, one red, and a Portuguese ruby Port. Another account describes two white wines and one red, so you should expect a selection of European wines rather than one fixed menu printed in stone.

That variation is not a bad thing. The purpose is to show how different wines behave with cheese. A crisp white may suit a younger or milder piece, while a red can handle a firmer, older cheese. Port provides a sweeter finish and gives you a clear contrast with the drier wines.

Upstairs at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store

You meet at Damrak 62HS, the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store in central Amsterdam. The tasting takes place in a room above the shop, rather than as a standing sample session in the retail area.

That upstairs setting gives the hour a more organized feel. The room has presentation equipment, and some sessions include a screen, a small booklet, or a short quiz. These touches help turn the tasting into a lesson instead of a string of sales samples.

The location is useful if you are already exploring central Amsterdam. Damrak is close to major sights and public transportation, so you do not need a separate taxi or private transfer. The activity begins and ends at the same meeting point, making it easy to fit between sightseeing stops.

The drawback is equally clear: you need to find the shop and get upstairs on your own. Private transportation is not included. Allow enough time to reach the address, especially if you are unfamiliar with Amsterdam’s busy center.

What the 55 minutes feel like

The tasting is short enough to fit into a packed sightseeing day. In practice, the hour is likely to follow a rhythm like this:

1. You arrive at the store and go to the tasting room.
2. The host introduces the Old Amsterdam brand and the cheese-making process.
3. Five cheeses are presented, often with notes about milk type, region, and age.
4. You taste the cheeses alongside several wines.
5. The host explains which pairings work and why.
6. The session wraps up, sometimes with a quiz, a small prize, or shopping time downstairs.

The presentation is a key part of the value. Hosts named in past sessions include Ron, Maria, Rick, and Luca. The tone can be friendly and light, with humor mixed into the food lesson. That helps if you know little about cheese and do not want a formal lecture.

Solo visitors can also fit in comfortably. The shared table format gives you an easy way to chat with other people, but the experience does not require you to arrive with a group. Couples and groups of friends are equally suited to it.

The maximum group size is 26 people. That is not a private tasting, but it is still a controlled setting rather than a large bus tour. If your session has fewer people, you may receive more direct attention from the presenter.

Why the cheese comparison matters

Dutch cheese is often reduced to a single idea: Gouda. This tasting gives you a better sense of how broad that label can be.

A four-month cheese and an 18-month cheese can feel like different foods. Aging affects firmness, flavor, and the way the cheese works with wine. The tasting also places goat and cow cheeses side by side, which gives you a useful point of comparison instead of asking you to remember separate explanations.

You may also learn about the areas connected with Gouda production and the background of Old Amsterdam Cheese. The lesson includes Dutch cheese-making traditions and the company’s founders, giving the product some context before you decide if you want to buy it.

Do not expect a full survey of every Dutch cheese. The focus is on the Old Amsterdam range and traditional styles. If you are hoping for blue cheese, strongly flavored additions, or a wide spread of local farm products, this may feel limited. One session included a chocolate cheese at the end, but that should be treated as an occasional extra rather than a guaranteed course.

How the wine pairings work

The most useful part of the wine tasting is learning to compare the same cheese with different wines. You can taste how sweetness, acidity, body, and tannin affect the cheese in your mouth.

The white wine pairing is likely to feel the lightest. It can show how a fresher wine supports a younger cheese without covering it up. A red wine gives you a different test, especially with a firmer or older Gouda. Port changes the pace again, adding sweetness and a dessert-like note.

You do not need wine expertise to follow the presentation. The host walks you through the pairings and explains why one wine may suit a particular cheese better than another. That makes this a good introduction if you usually choose wine by guesswork.

The precise wine labels are not consistently provided in the available details. If you want to recreate a pairing at home, ask the host for the names of the bottles during the session. A handout with the exact cheese and wine names would make the lesson even more useful, but that is not guaranteed.

The store, the sales angle, and the value

The listed price is $32.65 per person. For roughly an hour of food, wine, instruction, and cutlery in central Amsterdam, I consider that a fair price, especially if you value the explanation as much as the tasting.

You are paying for five cheese samples and several wines, but also for a host who gives the food a framework. A casual cheese counter may offer samples for less, yet it will not necessarily explain milk types, aging, production, or pairing in the same organized way.

There is a commercial element. The tasting takes place in a branded cheese shop, and you will have the chance to buy cheese afterward. That does not cancel out the educational value, but it is worth knowing before you book. You are not entering a neutral culinary school or an independent farm visit.

The shopping option can work in your favor. You get to taste before buying, and one recent session offered a 10 percent discount on cheese. If you already plan to take Dutch cheese home, that discount may improve the overall value. Check the current terms in person, since the discount is not listed as a formal inclusion.

Who should book this tasting

I would point cheese lovers here first. You get five different cheeses, a chance to compare age and milk types, and enough wine to see how pairings change the taste.

It also suits:

• First-time Amsterdam visitors who want a short introduction to a local food tradition.
• Wine beginners who want practical pairing advice without a long formal class.
• Solo visitors who enjoy a shared table and a social setting.
• Couples and friend groups looking for an easy indoor activity.
• Rainy-day planners who need a central activity that lasts less than an hour.
• People with a tight schedule who cannot spare a half-day food tour.

I would be less keen to recommend it to someone seeking a broad Dutch food tour. You will not visit farms, markets, or several independent producers. The tasting stays at one shop and centers on one cheese business.

It may also disappoint anyone who dislikes wine, since the drinks are central rather than an optional side feature. The minimum drinking age is 18, and the activity is built around tasting alcoholic beverages.

Useful details before you go

The experience is offered in English and comes with a mobile ticket. Confirmation is provided when you book, so you can keep the booking on your phone.

The meeting point is Damrak 62HS, 1012 LM Amsterdam, Netherlands. The activity ends there as well. Since no private transportation is included, use public transportation or walk to the shop from your nearby plans.

Most people can take part, and service animals are allowed. The group limit is 26 people. If you prefer a very quiet, private lesson, check the group size at booking or ask the provider if a smaller session is available.

Plan on 55 minutes, but give yourself extra time around the scheduled start. The tasting is not designed as a flexible drop-in activity. You will get more from it if you arrive ready to listen, taste slowly, and compare each cheese before moving to the next one.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Canceling or changing the booking less than 24 hours ahead does not qualify for a refund.

Is the Old Amsterdam tasting worth booking?

Book it if you want a compact, friendly introduction to Dutch cheese and wine pairings. The price is reasonable for central Amsterdam, the five-cheese format gives you useful comparisons, and the guide-led presentation adds substance to the samples.

I especially like it as a rainy-day plan, a first activity after arriving, or a final relaxed hour before dinner. Go in expecting an informative tasting at a working retail shop, not an independent food tour. If that balance suits you, this is an easy way to taste, learn, and perhaps leave with a well-chosen piece of cheese.

FAQ

How long does the cheese and wine tasting last?

The experience lasts approximately 55 minutes.

Where does the tasting take place?

It takes place at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store, Damrak 62HS, 1012 LM Amsterdam, Netherlands.

What cheeses will I taste?

You will taste five different award-winning cheeses from 2024. Past sessions have included Gouda, goat cheeses, cow cheeses, and cheeses aged from about four to 18 months.

How many wines are included?

The tasting includes wine, with past sessions featuring white wine, red wine, and Portuguese ruby Port. Some descriptions also mention two white wines and one red wine, so the exact selection may vary.

Is transportation included?

No. Private transportation is not included. You make your own way to the meeting point, which is near public transportation.

What is the minimum drinking age?

The minimum drinking age is 18.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time for a full refund. Cancellations and changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.