Supreme Champion Named at British Cheese Awards

A blue cheese has been announced as the best in the UK at the 2012 British Cheese Awards

Real Yorkshire Wensleydale Blue, made by Wensleydale Dairy Products in Hawes, Yorkshire, was announced as the winner, beating 904 other cheeses made by 187 cheesemakers.

The creamery has been making cheese for over 100 years and released the blue Wensleydale to help protect the provenance of the local traditional variety.

David Hartley, managing director of the Wensleydale Creamery, said about the premium cheese range, “We are proud of our heritage and company ethos, and want to ensure our products reflect this. By broadening our range with this premium cheese offering, we aim to strengthen our position as skilled traditional cheesemakers, renowned for our hand-crafted cheesemaking expertise and to meet consumer demand for our high-end cheeses,

“In a year to celebrate all things British and Yorkshire, we are very excited to cement not only our company's provenance, but that of the region's dairy produce too. By adding another new addition to the Wensleydale family, we hope to further help sustain the Dales economy,” he added.

The judges at the awards described the cheese as “a densely compact, slightly dry texture that soon becomes almost velvety, with well-spread threads of silvery blue that melt in the mouth and release their spicy but surprisingly mild blue tang that hints of cocoa.”