This one is not for the faint of heart. When I opened it, it smelled like a pub full of drunk Leprechauns. I used the recipe from Mary Karlin's Artisan Cheese Making at Home book. I used an Irish honey whiskey to give it a sweet note. The recipe calls for MA 4001 culture that is a blend of:
(LL) Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
(LLC) Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
(LLD) Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis biovar diacetylactis
(ST) Streptococcus thermophilus
Whiskey is splashed into the curds before forming and the pressed cheese is also soaked in whiskey for eight hours. The texture is firm and the bite is similar to a firm fudge. The taste of whiskey is very present but overall it is still too young. This one will go back into the cave for at least another six months to one year.
I am not sure if I will make anymore cheeses with liquor in them as it gets a bit expensive and is a one hit wonder. A normal cheddar can always be paired with any drink I fancy at the time.
Almost looks like a "swiss" cheese with all those holes ;)
Great looking cheese. It sounds delicious too. Well done!