Supermarket Brie Showdown: The Ultimate Taste Test Reveals Top Picks

Brie and baguette stand as one of life's simplest pleasures, perfect for any setting from a park bench to a mountain hike, requiring no utensils. This soft, white, mold-ripened cheese, crafted from raw or pasteurized cow's milk, boasts a characteristically creamy texture. The process involves gently warming milk, separating curds with rennet, and inoculating with Penicillium candidum to develop its signature flavor and white rind. After molding, salting, and ripening for at least a month, it originates from the Brie region in northern France.

Each cheese was tasted at room temperature after a minimum one-hour rest, allowing intense aromas from packaging and refrigeration to soften. This test serves as a stepping stone toward the ambition of judging the World Cheese Awards.

The Best Supermarket Brie: Top Choices and Ratings

Best Overall: M&S French Mature Ripening Brie

Priced at £3.50 for 200g at Ocado (£1.75/100g), this well-aged wedge features a brown-and-white rind, packed in a wooden carton to maintain its gooey form. It offers a sweet and funky aroma, with an aerated center that melts into an oozy blob. Floral sweetness combines with a sour twang, making it utterly delicious and earning four stars.

Best Bargain: Castello Extra Creamy Brie

Available for £2.62 for 200g at Asda (£1.31/100g) or £2.80 at Sainsbury's (£1.40/100g), this small, round cheese has a firm rind and a sweet, yeasty aroma. Its mild taste includes notes of honey, with a creamy, buttery texture throughout. Delicious and brilliant value, it's ideal for those preferring a milder brie, also rated four stars.

Other Notable Brie Selections

Baron Bigod: A whole round brie-style cheese from Ocado (£10.50 for 250g) or the Fine Cheese Co (£13.40 for 250g), featuring a pungent, earthy rind and a golden, gooey interior. Made with raw milk from free-ranging cows, it's complex and mature, earning five stars as a splurge-worthy choice.
Waitrose British Somerset Brie: At £3.40 for 230g (£1.48/100g), this cheese has a pungent, farmyard aroma and a wonderfully sweet taste. Gooey at the edges but set in the middle, it offers a pleasing texture contrast, creamy richness, and incredible value, rated four stars.
Brie de Rouzaire: Priced from £3 for 165g at Morrisons (£1.82/100g) to £3.75 at Sainsbury's (£2.27/100g), this oozy wedge resembles a French farmers' market find. Its mature rind has complex notes of farmyard, autumn leaves, and honey, making it ripe and perfect for avid cheese lovers, with four stars.
Cornish Cheese Co Cornish Brie: Available at Morrisons (£4.50 for 200g) or Ocado (£4.95 for 200g), this small round has a bloomy, snow-white rind. Fresh and mild with a mushroom note, it's firm yet creamy, a crowd-pleaser rated four stars.
Tesco British Brie: At £2.30 for 160g (£1.44/100g), this small wedge has a thick, white rind and a mild-to-medium aroma. Its consistent, creamy texture with a sweet flavor and lactic tang offers top value, earning three stars.
Président French Brie: Priced at £2.95 for 200g at Tesco and Sainsbury's (£1.48/100g), this decent-size wedge has a farmyard aroma with honey and brassica notes. Consistently creamy and buttery, it's really good value, rated three stars.
Co-op Somerset Brie: At £2.60 for 160g (£1.63/100g), this classic wedge has a soft, farmy rind. With a gooey texture and sweet, nutty flavor, it's reliable and well-made for everyday use, earning three stars.
Milbona French Brie: The cheapest option at £1.65 for 200g at Lidl (83p/100g), in-store only. This thin wedge has a pungent rind that softens with airing, offering a sweet taste and creamy texture. Great value for a simple brie, but rated two stars due to its assertiveness.

This taste test highlights the diversity in supermarket brie, from high-end splurges to everyday bargains, ensuring there's a perfect wedge for every cheese lover.