Harder cheeses have a lower moisture content than softer cheeses. They are generally packed into moulds under more pressure to remove as much of the whey and moisture from the curds as possible (to ensure a long keeping product) and aged for a longer time than soft cheeses. Hard cheeses are quite firmly packed into large forms and may be aged for months or even years in the case of vintage Cheddar, Parmesan or Manchego.

Hard cheeses are usually saltier than softer cheeses, but will often develop a sweet or caramel-like note the longer they are aged. This is especially true of Gouda. Hard cheeses can also be pungent, whether as a result of an enzyme that is added during the cheese-making process or one that develops naturally over time.

Some hard cheeses can be crumbly, especially in the case of young variants of Cheshire, Caerphilly, Lancashire and Wensleydale. The cheeses are pressed to remove much of the moisture but because they are sold at a relatively young age (typically between 4 and 8 weeks) they retain a crumbly texture and a fresh flavour. Older more mature versions of these cheeses will tend to become firmer and may lose their crumbly texture. They will also have a stronger flavour.

Very hard cheeses such as Parmesan and Pecorino are often grated.

When buying a hard cheese, find one that look quite solid with a minimum amount of cracking and feels very firm to the touch. With a few exceptions, there should be no visible mould, and it should be well wrapped to prevent it from drying out (since a hard cheese has already lost most of its moisture, exposure to air will only dry it out quicker).