A pasteurised cow's milk cheese. Formed in large rounds, after maturing, the cloth is removed and the cheese washed in Red Wine. Cream coloured, semi-hard, smooth and strong.
Made by Fowlers of Earlswood, who say that "Derby cheese that was made outside Derbyshire has traditionally been given the name 'Little Derby'. The Fowler's Little Derby started life as a cross between Cheddar and Derby, although they do not use the annatto (E160b) colouring which was used in the original Derby.
During the war Cheddar was one of the few cheeses allowed to be made on a large scale, and as its fame increased, the similarity in texture and flavour of the Derby cheese meant a serious decline in sales.