What is cheese supposed to taste like?

[qdog1955]

This may sound like a dumb question---but how do you know what a particular cheese is supposed to taste like if you have never had it. Example---Caerphilly or Wensleydale, never even heard of them until I got my first cheese book. They are not available locally, so I can't compare to a commercial product.
  I know what Jarlsberg, cheddar, Colby and Jack should taste like, or at least close. I have seen some descriptions of taste on Caerphilly as being salty and sour. I realize it's hard to describe a flavor and I have never tasted a hint of almond in my wine as the wine connoisseurs claim.
   The whole point being, what criteria do I use to judge a cheese I make?  My first Caerphilly was more sour then I expected, reminded me of commercial Feta ( Greening of Gavin recipe). How do I know I didn't mess up? How do you make corrections when there may be nothing wrong?
   

[Spoons]

You can buy commercial caerphilly at specialty cheese shops and see what it should taste like. You can also buy from igourmet.com

[Boofer]

That's a good question. How do you know the texture, taste, and acidity level of a cheese that you'd like to emulate?

My answer is echoed by Eric...get a piece. Here's a recent example.

-Boofer-

[qdog1955]

Thanks guys---sometimes wish I lived near "the big city" with a real deli. I checked the Igourmet site and they do have a good selection--kind of expensive and like they say " I'm so broke I can't pay attention"----guess I'll just have to bite the bullet and order some.