The cheese should have a straw color, ranging from yellow to beige with no white blotches, which indicate being stored too long in plastic. Aged cheddars that are not made in the farmhouse style are often sharp and not much else. Sharpness is a term that Hodgson hears mostly from Americans. It's a pronounced acidic, almost puckery quality that's very limiting. People want to have their taste buds ripped apart by sharpness, which is easy to put into cheese.
Sharpness actually kills off other flavors.
We strive not to be sharp but to have a breadth of flavors. I have trouble keeping them in stock. The cut wedge reveals a few specks of mold inside the cheese. I really like to see that. The Keen's is smoother and creamier with a meaty quality reminiscent of prosciutto or perhaps roast beef.