Scottish Cheese OR Scottish Charcuterie Tasting at Errichel

Good food comes with a view here. Errichel’s tasting gives you a compact introduction to Scottish cheese or charcuterie at a farm, deli, and restaurant near Aberfeldy. I like the five-item format, which gives you enough variety without turning the session into a marathon. I also like the tasting map and flavour wheel, practical souvenirs that help you remember what you enjoyed.

The main point to watch is simple but important: you must choose cheese at 2:15pm or charcuterie at 2:45pm when booking. The team cannot switch you on the day, and alcohol is not part of the standard price. At about $39.78 per person for roughly 50 minutes, this is best for people who care about Scottish produce, not for anyone seeking a full farm tour or a long meal.

Key points to know before you book

• Two separate tastings: Choose five Scottish cheeses at 2:15pm or five Scottish charcuterie items at 2:45pm.
• Small group setting: The experience accepts a maximum of eight people, allowing time for questions and personal recommendations.
• Useful take-home material: You receive a Cheese Map of Scotland or Charcuterie Map of Scotland, plus tasting notes and a flavour wheel.
• Scottish pairings: Each platter comes with accompaniments and Chef Paul Newman’s homemade chutneys.
• Lovely farm setting: Errichel looks across the Aberfeldy valley, adding a scenic setting to the food.
• Easy shopping afterward: The attached deli sells cheeses, charcuterie, chutneys, jams, cakes, prepared meals, and other food gifts.

Arriving at Errichel near Aberfeldy

The tasting begins at Thyme Delicatessen at Errichel, Aberfeldy PH15 2EL. You finish at the same spot, so there is no transport between tasting locations to organize.

Errichel is more than a tasting room. It is a farm, deli, and food stop with views over the surrounding valley. That setting matters. You are not simply sitting down with five anonymous samples in a city shop. The visit connects Scottish produce with a working rural place and a business that sells much of what you taste.

The setting can be beautiful even on a wet, dreich Scottish afternoon. If the weather is clear, the valley view adds real pleasure to the short visit. If rain rolls in, the food and indoor setting still give you a good reason to stop.

Allow a little time around the booked session if you want to browse the deli. The tasting itself lasts about 50 minutes, but the shop can easily extend your visit, especially if you want to buy some of the items to enjoy later.

Choose cheese at 2:15pm or charcuterie at 2:45pm

The most important booking decision is the tasting type. The two options are not mixed by default.

The Scottish Cheese Tasting begins at 2:15pm. You receive a platter of five artisan Scottish cheeses, with more than one local cheese included. The selection is paired with accompaniments and homemade chutneys, and the host introduces each cheese before you taste it.

The Scottish Charcuterie Tasting begins at 2:45pm. It also includes five artisan items, with accompanying flavours and chutneys. The host explains what you are tasting and helps you consider the character of each item rather than simply eating your way through a plate.

A group can arrange a mixture of cheese and charcuterie by contacting Errichel directly. That is useful for couples or families with different tastes, but you should not assume the change can be made at the door. Sort it out before arrival.

The staggered times may work well for a group that wants to split up, though the standard booking asks you to select one experience. If a few people want cheese and others want meat, contact the farm before paying.

What happens during the 50-minute tasting

The session is guided from start to finish. You are introduced to all five items, hear what makes each one special, and get suggestions for combining the food with the accompaniments.

For cheese, the tasting notes and flavour wheel give you a simple way to think about texture, strength, aroma, and finish. You do not need to know the difference between every Scottish cheese before arriving. The point is to give you a way to notice those differences for yourself.

One cheese tasting included examples such as Strathearn and Kintyre Smoked. The Kintyre Smoked was a particular favourite for one visitor, while Strathearn also made a strong impression. The exact selection may change, so do not book expecting those two cheeses specifically.

The charcuterie session follows the same basic rhythm. You taste five items, learn about their flavours, and consider which accompaniments bring out their best qualities. Blacky ham was singled out as a good purchase afterward, so that is one item worth asking about if it is available during your visit.

The session is not rushed. That is one of its strengths. You have time to listen, taste, compare, and ask about other products in the deli. The small maximum of eight people also helps keep the format personal without making it feel like a private lesson.

The pairings make this more than a plate of samples

The most useful part of the tasting is the pairing advice. Cheese and meat can taste very different when combined with chutney, a selected accompaniment, or a drink. Errichel uses that idea to show you how to build a better platter at home.

Chef Paul Newman’s homemade chutneys are included with the tasting. They are not just decoration on the plate. The sweet, sharp, or spiced notes can change how you experience a cheese or charcuterie item, giving you a practical lesson in balance.

The standard experience does not include alcohol. You can book an upgraded cheese version with wine or an upgraded charcuterie version with beer for an additional charge. The supplement is not specified, so check the current price before booking if a drink pairing is important to you.

The food is filling enough for a substantial snack, but you should not treat the tasting as a guaranteed lunch or dinner. It includes five tasting portions and accompaniments, not a full multi-course meal. One family left feeling happy and full, but appetites vary.

Becky and Rebecca add warmth to the presentation

The host is named Becky in some accounts and Rebecca in others. She is praised for explaining the food in a friendly, clear, and non-patronising way.

That tone is important. Food tastings can become overly formal, with too much jargon and not enough eating. Here, the explanations focus on helping you understand the products and pairings. You can ask for suggestions about other cheeses, and the host may point you toward varieties that suit what you already like.

The service also works well for mixed-age groups. A family combined a farm visit earlier in the day with the afternoon charcuterie tasting, and the same host took time with their four-year-old during the farm portion. The farm tour is a separate activity, but this gives you a sense of the welcoming approach at Errichel.

A larger group also received help with dietary requirements and a mixed cheese and charcuterie arrangement. If your party has special needs, contact the team before arriving rather than relying on last-minute adjustments.

The deli turns tasting into a useful shopping stop

I particularly like the fact that the food does not disappear when the tasting ends. Much of what you taste can be bought in the deli, allowing you to recreate the experience at home.

The shop carries Scottish cheeses, charcuterie, jams, chutneys, cakes, and food gifts. It also has frozen prepared meals made by the owner and chef, including venison tagine and lamb kleftiko. Those dishes were praised as tasty options to take home, though availability can change.

This makes the $39.78 price easier to assess. You are paying for five guided tastings, pairing advice, printed tasting material, a scenic setting, and the chance to shop for products you have already tried. If you only want a quick snack, it may seem expensive. If you enjoy buying regional food and want to learn how to serve it, the value is stronger.

The deli also offers a practical advantage over a tasting with no retail connection. You can ask about a cheese you liked, buy a small amount, and test the pairing again with friends. That turns a short activity into something you can use after your holiday.

Why the maps and flavour wheels are worth keeping

The take-home material is more useful than a standard souvenir leaflet. Cheese tasters receive a map of Scotland, tasting notes, and a cheese flavour wheel. Charcuterie tasters receive the equivalent charcuterie map and tasting guide.

The map gives the food a sense of place. Scottish cheese and cured meats are not one single style, and the regional focus helps you remember where the products come from. The flavour wheel gives you a shared vocabulary for describing what you like.

You can also use the notes when shopping later. If you prefer smoky, firm, mild, creamy, or strongly flavoured food, the tasting can help you describe those preferences more clearly. That is especially useful if you are buying food as a gift or building a platter for a dinner at home.

Is the setting worth the trip?

For anyone already spending time around Aberfeldy, Errichel is an appealing food stop. The valley views, farm setting, deli, and tasting fit together well. You can make the visit short, or spend longer browsing and enjoying the wider site.

The experience is not a sightseeing tour of Aberfeldy, and it does not include a detailed farm tour. If you want to see and feed sheep, pigs, chickens, peafowl, ducks, and geese, book the farm tour separately. Combining that morning activity with the afternoon tasting can create a fuller family day, but the two experiences should not be confused.

The rural setting also means you should plan your visit around the fixed start time. Cheese begins at 2:15pm and charcuterie at 2:45pm. Arriving late could cut into a short session, so give yourself enough time to reach Errichel and find Thyme Delicatessen.

Who will enjoy this tasting most?

I would recommend the cheese option to you if you enjoy comparing styles, trying regional products, or learning which chutneys and drinks work with different cheeses. It also suits anyone who likes to bring Scottish food home and wants more direction than a quick deli purchase provides.

The charcuterie option is a good fit if you prefer cured meats, savoury pairings, and beer. The upgraded beer tasting may be worth considering if you want the drink element included, but the standard session gives you the food and guidance without alcohol.

Families can enjoy the visit, particularly if they add the farm tour. Still, a 50-minute tasting is built around listening and tasting, not children’s entertainment. Younger children may find the food talk less engaging than the animals at the farm.

Food-focused couples, birthday gift recipients, and small groups are especially well suited. The experience has also worked well as a Christmas present and as a birthday afternoon. The maximum group size of eight keeps the format intimate enough for questions.

Service animals are allowed. The supplied details do not explain every accessibility feature, so contact Errichel directly if you have specific access needs.

Booking, price, and cancellation details

The listed price is $39.78 per person. It includes the five-item tasting platter, accompaniments, homemade chutneys, the guided introduction, and the relevant map and flavour wheel.

Alcohol is not included. Wine with cheese and beer with charcuterie are available through upgraded versions for an extra charge. Check the current supplement when booking.

You receive confirmation at the time of booking, and the ticket is mobile. The experience is offered in English.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start are not refunded, and changes inside that window are not accepted.

Should you book the Errichel tasting?

Book it if you want a friendly, food-led stop with five Scottish products, thoughtful pairings, and a scenic farm setting. The small group size, relaxed presentation, and deli make it more useful than a quick sampling plate.

Choose carefully between cheese at 2:15pm and charcuterie at 2:45pm. If your group wants both, contact Errichel first. I would also leave time afterward to browse the deli and buy the cheese, ham, chutney, or prepared food that caught your attention.

Skip it if you want a full meal, a broad farm tour, or an activity packed with sightseeing. For food lovers near Aberfeldy, though, this is a compact and well-focused way to taste Scotland with enough guidance to keep enjoying the discoveries at home.

FAQ

Where does the tasting take place?

It starts at Thyme Delicatessen at Errichel, Aberfeldy PH15 2EL, Scotland. The activity ends back at the meeting point.

How long does the experience last?

The tasting lasts approximately 50 minutes.

What time is the cheese tasting?

The Scottish Cheese Tasting begins at 2:15pm.

What time is the charcuterie tasting?

The Scottish Charcuterie Tasting begins at 2:45pm.

Can I change from cheese to charcuterie on the day?

No. You must book the option you want because changes cannot be accommodated on the day.

Can a group book both cheese and charcuterie?

Yes, but you should contact Errichel directly so they can arrange a mixed booking.

How many items are included?

The cheese option includes five artisan Scottish cheeses. The charcuterie option includes five artisan Scottish charcuterie items.

Is alcohol included?

No. Alcoholic beverages are not included in the standard experience. Upgraded versions with wine and cheese or beer and charcuterie are available for an additional charge.

What do I take home?

Cheese tasters receive a Cheese Map of Scotland, tasting guidelines, and a flavour wheel. Charcuterie tasters receive the corresponding charcuterie map, tasting guidelines, and flavour wheel.

How many people can join?

The maximum group size is eight people.