Despite having a long history, real farmhouse Dutch Edam cheese has disappeared and with it its original sharp identity. Today Edam cheese is a pleasant but rather bland factory-produced cheese. Edam cheese is known for its distinctive red wax coating, but this only appears on cheeses for export. Those destined for the home market are sold with their natural thin yellow rind exposed. The buttercup yellow paste is firm but springy, although not usually as rubbery as young factory-made Gouda.

Edam has a lightly spicy aroma and easy taste with a slightly salty flavor lingering on the palate. Edam is made from partially skimmed, pasteurized milk and thus has a relatively low fat content.