Sage Derby is a variety of British Derby cheese infused with sage to produce a glorious green marbling effect and subtle herb flavour. Hard to find these days, it is England’s oldest and most famous cheeses originally made only for special occasions such as Harvest and Christmas.

To make this cheese, freshly milled, salted Derby curd and sprinkles of fresh sage are arranged in layers and left to mature for six months. Some dairies blend dried sage with mature, chopped Derby and then repress it again.

It is a semi-hard, delicate cheese with a mild sage flavour and is well known for its versatility. Its natural rind is often dusted with sage. Due to the bright markings, the cheese looks very striking on a cheeseboard.