The Awards were established in 1994 by Juliet Harbutt to raise the profile of British cheese and create a recognised symbol of excellence for all British cheese.
In 19 years the number of British cheesemakers has more than doubled and there are now over 700 unique British cheeses made from cow, goat, ewe and even buffalo milk.
The 2012 statistics [representing over 70% of cheesemakers] show the extraordinary diversity and quality of British cheeses now available:
| Entered in 2012 | |
| Cheeses | 905 |
| Cheesemakers | 187 |
| Cheeses By Category | |
| Fresh cheeses | 84 |
| Soft White Cheese | 80 |
| Semi Soft | 48 |
| Cheddar | 100 |
| Territorials | 207 |
| Modern British Hard | 122 |
| Blue | 82 |
| Flavour Added | 51 |
| New Cheeses | 96 |
| Milk Type | |
| Cow | 702 |
| Ewe | 45 |
| Goat | 148 |
| Water Buffalo | 7 |
| Raw Milk | 202 |
| Vegetarian Rennet | 751 |
| Organic | 109 |
SUPREME CHAMPION 2012
Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Blue – Wensleydale Dairy Products
The creamery at Hawes in Wensleydale have been making cheese and winning awards for over 100 years and recently created the Real Yorkshire Wensleydale brand to help protect the provenance of traditional Wensleydale, like this Blue Wensleydale. It has an unusual but attractive, dry grey “snake skin” crust, wrapped in a bandage pierced with small holes. A densely compact slightly dry texture that soon becomes almost velvety in the mouth, with well-spread threads of silvery blue that melt in the mouth releasing their spicy but surprisingly mild blue tang that hints of cocoa.
BEST ENGLISH – PATRICK RANCE TROPHY
Claxton Shropshire Blue – Long Clawson Dairy
Part of Long Clawson’s new Claxstone range it is a tall cylinder with a dry, crusty rind beneath which the tangerine orange interior is slashed with a mass of blue streaks. Spicy but not as strong as Stilton it looks great on any cheeseboard.
BEST WELSH
Per Las Organic – Caws Cenarth
Created in 2003 by the Adams family, this elegant blue has a thin rind covered in grey & blue mould and a buttery smooth, yellow interior, streaked with thick purple-blue blotches. Stronger than Stilton with a snappish, peppery bite and a sea breeze salty finish.
BEST SCOTTISH
Seriously Strong Vintage Cheddar – Caledonian Cheese Co
The Seriously strong brand is no stranger to success at the British cheese Awards and this year beat off stiff competition to win this award. The judges chose it for its firm, dense almost chewy texture and its strong, forthright sweet-savoury tang with a big fruity finish.
BEST IRISH
Killen Goat Extra Mature – Killeen Farmhouse Cheese
Based in east Galway all Killeen Cheese s are handmade to a Gouda recipe using milk from their own herd of goats. Beneath the pale orange rind is a dense, compact pale ivory interior with superb savoury reminiscent of marmite that goes on and on.
CHEESE PERSON OF THE YEAR
George & Amanda Streatfeild – Denhay Farms Ltd
Together George and Amanda have created the very successful Denhay brand using milk from their own herd. However it is for their tireless support of traditional cheddar and cheesemakers across many arenas that has lead to their winning this award.
BEST PDO/PGI CHEESE
Mature Cheddar – Westcombe Dairy Company
Westcombe Dairy has been making Cheddar for over 100 years in the heart of Somerset. It has three herds of Friesian-Holstein cows, grazing on lush Somerset pastures that ensure this superb cheddar exhibits the classic cheddar character with its nutty flavour and savoury tang on the finish.
BEST GOATS CHEESE
Knockdrinna Gold – Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese
Supreme Champion in 2012 Helen and the team at Knockdrinna who won Supreme Champion last year with their Kilree, will be delighted to win Best Goat Cheese with this attractive pale pinkish-orange crusted boulder. Supple but dense it has a fresh acidity with a distinctly almondy taste.
BEST ORGANIC
Baywell – Daylesford Organic
Made by John Longman using the milk of the Bamford’s superb organic herd based in Daylesford it is heart shaped with a very sticky, pungent, orange-pink rnd. The dense, pale yellow interior, melt in the mouth like ice cream with lovely sweet savoury almost meaty notes.
BEST FRESH CHEESE
Windrush Dainty Herb – Windrush Valley Goat Dairy
A small round bright white goat cheese with a delicate, light, mousse-like texture that melts in the mouth revealing a gentle acidity which offsets perfectly the subtle mix of fresh herbs and garlic.
BEST SOFT WHITE CHEESE
Trevarrian Bri [Dutchy] – Cornish Country Larder
Once cut, the rough, crusty, white rind with its brush of orange-brown pigments releases its molten yellow interior. Creamy with the taste of melted butter and mushrooms with just a hint of marmite on the finish. It beat off over 100 others in this increasingly popular category.
BEST SEMI SOFT CHEESE
Burwash Rose – The Traditional Cheese Dairy
Cliff and Julie Dyball have created an excellent range of cheeses including this small washed rind cheeses made with milk comes from single herd family farms Voluptuous texture beneath a pale orange leathery rind and a savoury aroma that hints of meadow flowers.
BEST CHEDDAR
Cave Aged Vintage Cheddar – Ashley Chase Estate
Ford Farm age their cheeses in Wookey Hole where it is transported deep into the heart of the caves, a practice that dates back to the 16th century. A full-bodied farmhouse cheddar using milk from local herds it is fruity with sweet notes balanced by a more savoury tang on the finish.
BEST TERRITORIAL
Traditional Lancashire – Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire
A magnificent cheese and one of the few traditional, raw milk Lancashire made by combining the curd of 3 separate days to produce its unique vaguely lumpy texture like creamy scrambled egg. Rich, complex and savoury with the bite of raw onions.
BEST MODERN BRITISH
Killeen Goat Extra Mature – Killeen Farmhouse Cheese
Based in east Galway all Killeen Cheese is handmade to a Gouda recipe using milk from their own herd of goats. Beneath the pale orange rind is a dense, compact pale ivory interior with superb savoury reminiscent of marmite that goes on and on.
BEST TRADITIONAL BRITISH CHEESE
Quickes Traditional Unpasteurised Cheddar – Quickes Traditional Ltd
It has all the complexity you would expect from raw milk cheddar made with milk from the Quickes family farm where cheddar has been made for over 450 years. It has the classic chewy, biteable cheddar texture and more importantly a classic savoury not sweet taste Wonderful earthy notes that hint of the cellar with nutty overtones and a lingering cheese and onion, mouth-watering tang that ensures you go back for more
BEST CREAMERY CHEESE
Mature Cheddar – Llandyrnog Creamery
Made with milk collected from the lush green welsh hills and valleys where cheese has been made for centuries. Delicious deep yellow colour and firm, biteable texture that has initial sweet notes but gradually the more savoury nutty character comes through leaving a sweet savoury tang on the finish.
BEST BLUE CHEESE
Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Blue – Wensleydale Dairy Products
The creamery at Hawes in Wensleydale have been making cheese and winning awards for over 100 years and recently created the Real Yorkshire Wensleydale brand to help protect the provenance of traditional Wensleydale, like this Blue Wensleydale. It has an unusual but attractive, dry grey “snake skin” crust, wrapped in a bandage pierced with small holes. A densely compact slightly dry texture that soon becomes almost velvety in the mouth, with well-spread threads of silvery blue that melt in the mouth releasing their spicy but surprisingly mild blue tang that hints of cocoa.
BEST FLAVOUR ADDED CHEESE
Burren Gold Cumin – Aillwee Cave
Beautifully rounded classic Gouda appearance with sunshine yellow wax coat speckled with tiny cumin seeds that are evenly spread throughout the cheese. Its strong savoury cheese with its nutty overtones is the perfect partner for the aromatic, crunchy cumin seeds that give it an exotic taste.
BEST NEW CHEESE
Francis – James’s Cheese
James McCall started his career working with the legend – James Aldridge and now has his own dairy where he has created this new cheese. The rind is pale caramel, slightly sticky with a dusting of grey and white moulds, while the texture is firm, dense and chewy with a buttery feel and a savoury tang that tastes like your best ever cheese sauce – a superb balance of acidity and richness of the milk – a cheesemaker to watch.
BEST EXPORT CHEESE
Stilton PDO – Cropwell Bishop Creamery
For information and photographs of all the winners click here