Tashad, I'll offer my thoughts on your question - in general, I would say that the particular culture blends will certainly have an effect on how fast the cheese reaches the target pH in the process of the make. For example, TA081 is a slower acidifier than TA051 (these are Danisco Choozit designations) - but both are basic ST blends, just different variants. Likewise, Flora Danica is significantly slower than MA011+MD88, even though, as best I can tell, the latter combination represents the same bacteria as the FD blend. (Could be the proportions that are significant in the FD blend ... or it could, again, be a different variant of the basic meso bacteria.) I don't know how thermo blends compare with meso blends, i.e., if there are any consistent tendencies or if it really just depends on the specific variants. I suspect the latter, but that's just my own suspicion, based on my own less-than-scientific experience in making cheese at home.
In terms of the
ripening of the cheese, you've raised an interesting question. By the time the cheese is ripening, as I understand it, the bacteria are pretty well dormant or dead - but they leave enzymes behind that have significant effect on the ripening of the cheese. I'd be curious to know how much the differences in enzymes affect the differences in speed of aging.
However, what I do know - or at least, what I have read in multiple sources, and what matches my own experience - is that the single biggest factor in the aging time for the paste itself - not counting mold- or linens-ripening activity - is the amount of moisture that is contained in the final cheese. Higher moisture = faster aging; lower moisture = longer aging.
Of course, if mold (PC or PR) or yeast (geo) or B. linens are involved, there is an active biological process involved that greatly affects the nature and speed of the aging. Temperature and humidity will be significant factors in how these processes are encouraged or retarded.
Again, all of the above is based on reading and personal but not particularly scientific experience, so take it all with a grain of salt. Hopefully others will chime in and correct my mistakes.