London's Neal's Yard cheeses now available in Canberra

Cheese lovers should brace themselves - the cult London dairy – is sending its cheeses to Canberra.

The Essential Ingredient in Kingston started stocking cheeses from the British retailer last week.

Managing director Janet Gavey said Neal's Yard representatives had travelled to Australia last year to look into new outlets. Another retailer in Sydney suggested they get in touch with the Essential Ingredient in Canberra.

"They made a specific trip from Sydney just to see us. They looked at our cheese room, we discussed our way of handling cheese," she said. "We were deemed worthy."

Gavey and her team are initially stocking the Montgomery's cheddar and Tunworth brie. Rather excitingly, a washed rind Durrus​ and a Wensleydale will follow.

Neal's Yard has a cult following worldwide with its showcase of artisanal and regional cheeses from across Britain.

Its Covent Garden store – filled to the brim with wheels of Colston Bassett Stilton and wedges of Caerphilly – has become a foodie tourist destination.

Gavey thinks the cheese room and their attitude towards cheese at the Kingston store is what sealed the deal for Neal's Yard. "We cut [the cheese] to order so we don't have the exposed edges," she says. "We only stock a limited range of cheeses and we try to sell out [rather than have too much stock]. Plus we got very excited about cheeses."

As you'd expect, the British cheeses don't come terribly cheap – prices will run along the lines of $11 for 100g of cheddar and about $30 for 250g of the brie.

Gavey will also start hosting wine and cheese tastings every Friday at 5pm, with a guest winemaker every week. She kicks off the series with Anne Caine​ and Jim Lumbers from Lerida Estate.