It was 1 p.m. on a leisurely Saturday afternoon when couples and friends strolled into Murray’s Cheese. They had come to this famous Bleecker Street shop in The Village for an immersive cheese-tasting session.

The event, “Cavemasters 101,” takes place every Saturday and charges $70 per person.

For the price, attendees sit at long wooden tables in a room with soft lighting. Black-and-white photos decorate the walls. At each seat are seven types of cheese, plus candied nuts, a pear compote, mini baguettes and wine pairings.

“Cheese is alive, it’s always changing,” said Adam Goddu, the instructor told a group of cheese lovers on a recent Saturday.

He explained that cheese dates back to ancient times, when a shepherd put his supply of milk into a pouch made from sheep’s stomach and later found that it had separated into milk and whey.

As for the origins of Murray’s Cheese, it dates back to 1940, when Murray Greenberg founded the store. It has since become a leading destination for cheese enthusiasts.

The first cheese up for tasting was St. Maure. The cheese consisted of several layers. Its texture was soft and sticky to touch. “It tastes a little like barbeque!” exclaimed Maria Louka a student from NYU. Its rind, in particular, was sharp to taste and incredibly flavorful.

Next up: Project X. This mysterious, sharp-smelling cheese was covered in speckles. The flavor was described as similar to a truffled mushroom.

Then there was Hollander. With its orange-yellow rind and pudgy texture, the flavor exuded a mix of herbs, spices and oranges.

Unlike Hollander with its tangy aroma, Cornelia, named after the street, had a surprisingly distinct odor.  “It smells like dirty laundry,” said attendee Megan Wright. But Cornelia tasted earthy, meaty and buttery.

More surprises awaited tasters with Greensward, a custard-y cheese with that tasted like the forest, literally. Greensward offered strong undertones of pine, giving it a dense, earthy flavor.

Murray’s Clothbound Cheddar was a crowd favorite. Its crumbly texture and sweet flavor paired easily with the house red and candied cherries.

Annelies was the final cheese up for tasting. Its strong flavor stemmed from its tanginess and it carried rich undertones of cocoa.

Goddu ended the session with some advice.

“Always eat the sweaty cheese,” he said. “You know it’s good when you see it glistening beneath those ugly fluorescent lights.”