Most people would assume there's not much to tell between unsalted butter brands. Yet, once you start to check out different products side-by-side, you'll quickly discover that these milk solid, water, and butterfat concoctions can actually taste and perform quite differently. The Food & Wine team has dived into a project that gave everyone a new respect for unsalted butter, proving that the brand you choose can have a significant impact on your culinary creations.

Salt-free crackers, water and Lactaid accompanied us on a taste-testing journey of 27 unsalted butter brands. The main factors we considered were aroma, color, spreadability, and flavor, those subtle aspects that make each brand unique. If you're curious whether your preferred butter made the cut or are interested in discovering a potential new favorite, stick around.

Chefs usually prefer unsalted butter for their culinary masterpieces because it allows complete control over the salt levels in their dishes. Using salted butter makes it difficult to gauge how much salt is actually going into a recipe, leading to potential overseasoning before actual seasoning begins.

The taste test included the Food & Wine editors with the emphasis on fairness. Thus, only unsalted butters were considered, disregarding any salted, plant-based, or vegan alternatives. Both American-style and European-style butter entered the competition, following the USDA and European Union regulations, respectively.

Before the tasting started, all the butters were left at room temperature for an hour to highlight their flavor profiles and assess spreadability. The editors rated them on overall flavor, texture, spreadability, color, and aroma, both plain and spread on unsalted crackers, cleansing the palate with water and extra crackers before each new tasting.

Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter topped the list with its deep richness, earthy tones, and sweetness. Despite being unsalted, there was a slightly savory aftertaste that does the job of attracting you back for more. Kerrygold is the most successful Irish food export available at numerous major US retailers.

Next in line was Vital Farms, a young, yet fast-growing brand, preferred for its fresh dairy flavor and a hint of the savoriness of freshly grated Parmesan. Their butter is a great foundation for savory compound butter.

The unsalted butter produced by Président tastes like a virtual trip to the green fields of Normandy, France. Testers described its richness as reminiscent of whipped cream, making it a solid choice for aromatic butter chicken or a dense pound cake.

Martha Stewart’s favorite, Vermont Creamery, offered a nutty flavor with the perfect tang, thanks to its fermentation process. As the most affordable brand tested, it's great for brown butter pastas and desserts.

Tillamook, a farmer-owned co-op from Oregon, stood out for its silky texture. Despite the milder flavor, its superior spreadability enhances the butter applications in any cooking or baking.

The Whole Foods Market brand, '365,' provides a clean, genuine butter aroma unlike the artificial additive in movie popcorn butter. Equally good plain or on pancakes or waffles, this butter proved a hit with our testers.

Horizon Organic Dairy rounded out the pick, scoring high for a neutral palate and pure milk flavor. Versatile enough to harmonize with steamed veggies or add a luxurious touch to sauces, Horizon Organic Dairy is an excellent all-rounder.