Tillamook Cheddar Cheeses develop their flavors through the natural process of aging. The longer they age, the “sharper” and more flavorful they become. Tillamook Cheddars are naturally aged in 40-pound blocks for a minimum of: Medium Cheddar – 60 days Sharp Cheddar– 9 months Extra Sharp Cheddar – 15 months Extra Sharp White Cheddar and Maker’s Reserve – 2-6 years, depending on the product


Though we always recommend eating Tillamook products by the best by date printed on the package, the aging process of Tillamook cheddar cheese continues even after you’ve brought your cheese home. Be sure to keep it in the coldest part of your refrigerator until you are ready to enjoy it.

The Tillamook Cheddar recipe is based on over 100 years of cheese-making experience. Our Tillamook Cheddar Cheese recipe contains four natural ingredients: cultured milk, enzymes (rennet), salt, and annatto. Annatto is a natural coloring extracted from the seeds of annatto trees grown in the tropics; it is responsible for that beautiful Tillamook Cheddar yellow color! Tillamook white cheddars only contain three ingredients, as they don’t need the annatto.

The exciting answer: cheesy magic! The less-exciting truth: annatto, a natural, plant-based food coloring extracted from the seeds of tropical annatto trees. Without annatto, cheese is the color of milk. Coloring has been added to cheddar cheese for centuries to regulate color variations in milk that can come from seasonal changes in the cow’s diet. These days, annatto helps ensure that each loaf of Tillamook cheese is the same color that our fans have come to expect. If you prefer a cheese that does not contain annatto, we also produce several white cheddar cheeses, too! Annatto does not affect the flavor of the cheese.