Murray’s Cheese Caves Through the Ages
Behind the RindSEP 04, 2024
Murray’s first opened cheese caves in 2004, and they’ve served as our space for cheese artistry and imagination ever since. There have been a lot of exciting developments along the way—so many new cheeses, big awards, and a host of wild (and wildly delicious) experiments. Let’s journey through 20 years of incredible Cave Aged cheese.
The Early Years: A Novelty in the U.S.
2004
Murray’s Cheese Caves open within our flagship Bleecker Street shop. In this 600-square foot space, we rejuvenate the rinds of imported cheeses before moving them to our cheese case. This is a rarity in the United States at the time. Done in collaboration with Hervé Mons, carrying forward French tradition of affinage
2005
Start bringing in green cheeses from the Loire Valley to fully age in our caves, honoring these classic cheeses.
Our Own Line of Cheeses
2011
Launch our own line of Cave Aged cheeses.
2012
Create two of our award-winning Cave Aged Reserve cheeses, working with top creameries to develop something new with their cheeses. First, Greensward, a collaboration with Jasper Hill Farm (originally for Eleven Madison Park), then Hudson Flower, a collaboration with Old Chatham Creamery.
New Murray’s warehouse opens in Long Island City. Hurricane Sandy hits New York City, affecting the caves at Bleecker Street.
Expanding Our Space, Team, & Selection
2013
Caves move to the warehouse in Long Island City, featuring 1,200-square feet of aging space and four cheese caves with distinct aging environments: Natural, Bloomy Rind, Washed Rind, and Alpine.
2014
Begin expanding our caves team, bringing in experts to refine protocols and cheese consistency.
Expansion of Cave Aged Reserve line with Cornelia, Project X, and Barden Blue (in collaboration with Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co., Spring Brook Farm, and Consider Bardwell Farm).
2015
FDA bans import of ashed cheeses from Europe; we start to ash our Loires in-house.
Launch of Annelies, our first large-format Cave Aged Reserve cheese, in collaboration with Swiss cheesemaker Walter Räss.
R&D begins for a cheddar that we develop from an original recipe.
2016
Greensward wins 3rd place Best of Show at ACS, the first time an independent affinage facility has received that award.
Exciting Experiments & Murray’s Originals
2017
Launch of Stockinghall Cheddar, our first Cave Aged Original; we have a hand in every step of the process, from recipe to affinage, in collaboration with Old Chatham Creamery.
2018
Begin releasing experimental cheeses created through R&D with our Preamble series. This becomes our Cave Aged Limited program, featuring limited-edition cheeses born out of constant innovation.
2019
Launch of 80:10:10, another Cave Aged Original, in collaboration with Old Chatham Creamery.
Stockinghall wins Best of Show at ACS.
2021
Launch of Buttermilk Basque, another Cave Aged Original, in collaboration with Old Chatham Creamery
2022
Launch of Double Doe, the first cheese we’re producing on a seasonal basis, in collaboration with the Farm at Doe Run
Greensward wins another 3rd Place Best of Show at ACS and is named Best American Cheese at the World Cheese Awards.
2023
Take on two cheeses originally aged by Crown Finish Caves after they closed in 2022, to keep their incredible work from disappearing: Carpenter’s Wheel (a collaboration with FireFly Farms) and Treeline (launched in 2024 in collaboration with Roelli Cheese Haus).
20 Years of Cave Aged Cheese
2024
Celebrate 20 years of collaboration, expertise, tradition, and innovation with special Cave Aged releases throughout the year.
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