Does 8 Year Old Parmesan Cheese Actually Taste Good?

Quick Overview

The 100-month aged Parmigiano Reggiano is generally not recommended for everyday use or grating due to its distinct, sometimes bitter flavor and high cost ($52.74/lb), although the 40-month option offers a superior balance of savory flavor and texture for most applications compared to the standard 24-month variety.

Key Points: The 100-month Parmigiano is described as having a flavor that is "different" and it is easy to lose the complexity of its flavor profile, costing $52.74/lb. The 24-month Parmigiano tastes mildly salty, is firm but elastic, and has mild dairy aromas. The 40-month Parmigiano balances salty and umami tastes, is drier and crumbly but still sliceable, and is priced at $22.65/lb. The 60-month Parmigiano is significantly drier, has concentrated nutty and dried fruit aromas, and costs $31.14/lb. The aging process involves moisture loss (dropping from 38% water before brining to 20% at 100 months), protein breakdown into amino acids like glutamic acid (umami) and tyrosine (crystals), and fat breakdown releasing aroma molecules. The white crystals found in aged Parmigiano are concentrated Tyrosine, which have a slightly bitter aftertaste when tasted alone. The 40-month Parmigiano is recommended as the best balance of flavor, texture, and price for most uses.

Context: This video conducts a comparative tasting and analysis of Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses aged for different durations: 12 (mentioned but not tasted), 24, 40, 60, and 100 months. The presenter explores how aging chemically changes the cheese through protein and fat breakdown, moisture loss, and the resulting concentration of flavors and textures, ultimately answering whether the extremely long-aged options are worth the significant price premium.

Detailed Analysis

The video compares Parmigiano Reggiano aged for 24, 40, 60, and 100 months, establishing that the primary differences stem from moisture loss, protein breakdown into amino acids like glutamic acid (umami) and tyrosine (crystals), and fat breakdown into aromatic free fatty acids over time. The 12-month cheese is mildly salty with a firm, elastic texture. The 24-month cheese is saltier, slightly tangy, drier, creamy, and has a light golden white color with tiny white specks. The 40-month cheese balances salty and umami, is drier and crumbly but still sliceable, has nutty and dried fruit aromas, and shows small crystal formation. The 60-month cheese is significantly drier with a chalky mouthfeel, concentrated nutty/dried fruit aromas, and large crystal formation. The 100-month cheese is very dry, hard, crumbles easily, and possesses an intensely savory, complex flavor with hints of fermented notes and a slightly bitter aftertaste from the tyrosine crystals. The cost increases dramatically with age, with the 100-month cheese costing $52.74/lb, which is 165% more expensive than the 24-month cheese ($19.47/lb). The presenter concludes that while the 100-month is fascinating, the 40-month offers the best balance of complexity and value, recommending it as the best overall choice for most uses.