Five Goudas and three wines in one hour. At the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store, you step into a 1st-floor tasting room and get a fast, friendly crash course on Dutch cheese—plus wine pairings that make the flavors snap into focus.

I really like two things right away. First, the five different Gouda cheeses (including Old Amsterdam) keep the tasting moving, so you’re not stuck with just one style. Second, the session pairs them with three wines—red, white, and port—served with palate cleansers like fig bread and water.

One consideration: the tasting room is on the 1st floor and you can only reach it by stairs, so it’s not suitable for people with mobility impairments, and alcohol is 18+.

Quick hits

• 5 Gouda tastings in 45 minutes: enough variety to learn without dragging your day.
• 3 wine pairings: red, white, and port chosen to complement the cheeses.
• Old Amsterdam spotlight: learn about the cheese and the historic, family-run Westland Kaasspecialiteiten.
• Fig bread and water between bites: helps reset your palate fast.
• Cheese shop follow-up: get 20% off and try more downstairs right after the tasting.
• English hosts who keep it fun: guides like Aris, Rik, Roberta, and Maria are repeatedly praised for energy and clear explanations.

Why a 45-minute Gouda and wine session fits Amsterdam

Amsterdam is great for lingering, but it also eats time. This tasting is built for a tight schedule. In just 45 minutes, you get guided instruction, multiple samples, and wine pairings—without needing a big block of your day or a long queue.

If you love food but don’t want a museum-style lecture, this hits the sweet spot. You learn why cheeses taste the way they do as you eat them, not after the fact. And because everything is set up around the tasting board, you can focus on flavor rather than logistics.

Meeting at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store and navigating the room

You meet at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store, and the tasting happens upstairs in the room on the 1st floor. Plan for stairs. It’s the only access noted, and that matters if you’re traveling with limited mobility or heavy bags.

Inside, the setup is designed for a relaxed group experience. Multiple bookings call out a cozy, private-feeling room, and the overall pace is steady—so you can ask questions without feeling rushed. English is the working language, which makes the explanations easy to follow even if your cheese vocabulary is basic.

One practical tip: wear shoes you’re comfortable standing in, because this is a quick food experience where you’ll likely be shifting positions between samples and tasting moments. Also, there’s reportedly a bathroom on site, which is a nice convenience when you’re squeezing experiences into a day.

The tasting board: five Goudas, three wines, and smart palate resets

This is a classic Dutch cheese format: sample, compare, then learn what changed. You’ll taste five different Gouda cheeses, and each one gets its own pairing approach.

Here’s what makes the structure work for you:

• Each cheese gets attention. Instead of one big board you slowly work through, the session guides you through comparisons across the cheeses.
• Three wines do the heavy lifting. You’re offered 1 white wine, 1 red wine, and 1 port wine, selected to complement the board. That trio also gives you a useful learning contrast—how acidity, fruit, and sweetness can steer the way aged flavors come across.
• Reset moments keep you accurate. Between tastings, you cleanse with fig bread and water. It’s simple, but it prevents your palate from getting “stuck” on the previous cheese.

The tasting includes both instruction and the chance to taste enough that you can form real preferences. Many bookings praise the portions as more than just tiny nibbles, which matters because Gouda can taste subtle until you compare two similar styles side by side.

Also, remember the alcohol rule: the minimum age to drink is 18. If you’re traveling with teens or you’re alcohol-avoidant, you may want to consider whether this is the right fit for your group, since the pairing is part of the core experience.

Old Amsterdam and Westland Kaasspecialiteiten: what’s behind the flavor

Old Amsterdam is one of the best-known names in Dutch cheese, and this session makes it more than a label. You’ll sample Old Amsterdam cheese and hear where it comes from—made by the historic, family-run Westland Kaasspecialiteiten.

The story matters because Old Amsterdam’s appeal isn’t just marketing. You get context about the business, how cheese is made and aged, and how brands can differ within the same overall style category. Even when recipes are kept as family secrets, you still pick up hints during the session that help you understand what you’re tasting.

Expect the guide to connect the dots between:

• how Gouda is produced,
• how aging changes flavor,
• and why certain pairings make sense.

It’s a smart way to learn. If you just tasted cheeses without this background, you’d still enjoy the food, but you might not know what you like. With the story, you can start to predict what you’ll enjoy next—whether that’s a tangier cheese, a nuttier aged one, or a style that works better with wine than with bread.

Wine pairing in plain language: what to pay attention to

You don’t need to be a sommelier to get value from the pairings here. The session’s best teaching tool is contrast: you taste a cheese, drink a pairing, then notice how the wine shifts the cheese’s character.

A few things to watch for as you go:

• Does the wine make the cheese taste sharper or softer?
• Does sweetness in port make certain aged notes feel warmer?
• Does white wine make flavors feel cleaner between bites?
• Do you notice a difference in texture and finish, not just flavor?

Wine pairings can feel intimidating in a group setting, but the format stays practical. The wine is specially selected by a sommelier, and the guide translates why each choice works while you’re tasting it.

This is also where guide personality really matters, and it shows up repeatedly. Hosts like Aris, Rik, Roberta, Maria, and Ron get praised for keeping it clear and fun—so questions don’t feel awkward, and you leave with more than just “tasty stuff.”

How to make the most of your 45 minutes (without overthinking it)

If you want to walk out feeling like you understood the tasting, don’t try to memorize everything. Instead, focus on three simple goals:

1. Pick one cheese you like most early. Even if you’re not sure why, note the one that you keep reaching for.
2. Pay attention to the pairing swing. If one wine pairing suddenly makes the cheese taste better, you’ve found your learning moment.
3. Try to describe it to yourself. Not in fancy terms. Just in plain signals like nutty, tangy, creamy, or caramelly.

The session naturally encourages this because it’s paced in steps with fig bread and water between tastings. That means you can actually notice differences, instead of eating through the board on autopilot.

And if you’re the type who asks questions, bring curiosity. Several bookings highlight guides who keep the conversation lively while still staying on topic, and that makes the learning stick.

The downstairs shop: using your 20% discount like a pro

The tasting isn’t the end of the fun. After you finish, you can explore more cheeses in the shop downstairs and you get a 20% discount tied to the experience.

This is where good value shows up. If you’ve ever tasted a product once and regretted not buying the one you liked, this gives you a clean next step. You can match what you buy to what you learned in the room.

What to buy depends on your goal:

• If you want easy everyday snacking, choose a Gouda style you found smooth and approachable.
• If you want something that will taste better after a rest in your fridge, pick a cheese you liked more after you tried the wine pairing.
• If you’re planning a gift, buy a couple of styles so the recipient can compare.

Even better: the guide’s explanations help you shop with less guessing. You’ll be thinking about aging, texture, and flavor direction, not just brand names.

Price and value: $23 for cheese + wine + guided learning

At $23 per person, you’re paying for a tight package: 5 Gouda cheeses, 3 wine pairings, fig bread, water, and an instructor, plus a 20% discount for follow-up shopping.

The real value isn’t only the cost. It’s the pacing and structure. In under an hour, you get:

• multiple samples (enough to compare),
• pairing guidance (so it makes sense),
• and a direct way to convert what you liked into purchases.

This is also a good “low-commitment” activity when you’re sorting your Amsterdam schedule. If you don’t want a full-day food tour, but you do want something genuinely Dutch, this gives you a focused taste of cheese culture with minimal hassle.

Who this experience is best for

This tasting is a strong match if you:

• like food and want guided learning,
• enjoy wine pairings but don’t want a stuffy setting,
• want a short, enjoyable activity that fits around canal walks and museums,
• and plan to buy cheese to take home.

It may feel less ideal if you:

• need step-free access (stairs-only access is the main limitation),
• are under 18 and would feel uncomfortable around alcohol-focused pairings,
• or hate guided tastings and would rather wander freely.

Should you book this Amsterdam cheese and wine tasting?

I think you should book it if you want a quick, tasty, and genuinely educational Amsterdam food moment. The five Gouda tastings, the red/white/port wine pairings, and the Old Amsterdam story make it more than a casual snack stop. Add the 20% shop discount, and it becomes a plan that carries through after the tasting room.

If stairs are a dealbreaker for you, skip it. Otherwise, this is one of those rare experiences where the time feels worth it, and you leave with both better cheese instincts and something delicious to bring home.

FAQ

Where is the meeting point?

You meet at the Old Amsterdam Cheese Store.

How long is the cheese tasting experience?

The duration is 45 minutes.

What is included in the tasting?

It includes an instructor, a cheese tasting session, 5 different Gouda cheeses, 3 wines (1 red, 1 white, and 1 port), fig bread, and water. You also receive a 20% discount in the shop.

How many cheeses and wines will I taste?

You’ll taste 5 different Gouda cheeses and sip 3 wines: 1 red, 1 white, and 1 port wine.

Do I get a discount to buy cheese afterward?

Yes. You receive a 20% discount in the shop downstairs after the tasting.

Is the tasting room wheelchair or step-free accessible?

No. The cheese tasting room is on the 1st floor and is only accessible by stairs, and it is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.

What are the alcohol age requirements?

The minimum age to drink alcohol is 18 years old.

Is the tour in English?

Yes. The host or greeter provides the experience in English.