Cropwell Bishop is best known for its Stilton, but it was the Nottinghamshire company's Shropshire Blue that was named Supreme Champion at this years British Cheese Awards.The spicy, nutty blue cheese, which is coloured orange with the addition of a vegetable dye called annatto, beat more than 900 cheeses to the title at the Royal Bath & West Show near Shepton Mallet in Somerset in June.
The award was collected by director Robin Skailes, who said the win was “an honour and accolade for our team”.
The Reserve Champion was a brand new goats milk cheese called St Thom by Lightwood Cheese, which is made by Haydn Roberts, the former head cheesemaker at Neal's Yard Creamery.
The British Cheese Awards was founded by Juliet Harbutt in 1994 and was acquired by the Royal Bath & West Show last year. The Young Cheesemonger of the Year award went to Mihaela Mercasi (below), Delicatessen Manager at The House of Bruar in Scotland.
A selection of the main winners is below.
SUPREME CHAMPIONShropshire Blue, Cropwell Bishop Creamery
RESERVE CHAMPION St Thom, Lightwood Cheese
Country Awards
Best English – Patrick Rance Trophy: Shropshire Blue,Cropwell Bishop Creamery
Best Welsh – Dougal Campbell Trophy: Golden Cenarth, Caws Cenarth
Best Scottish – Jeff Reade Trophy: Lockerbie Vintage Sponsored, Arla Foods
Best Irish – Eugene Burns Trophy: Wicklow Blue, Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese
Best Fresh Cheese:Rosary Ash, Rosary Goats Cheese
Best Soft White Cheese:St Thom, Lightwood Cheese
Best Semi-Soft Cheese:Golden Cenarth, Caws Cenarth
Best Cheddar: Parkham Farms
Best Territorial (non-Cheddar): Traditional Double Gloucester, Wensleydale Dairy Products
Best Modern British Cheese: Medium Goats Cheese, Delamere Dairy Limited
Best Blue Cheese:Shropshire Blue, Cropwell Bishop Creamery
Best Flavour Added Cheese: Smoked Lincolnshire Poacher, Lincolnshire Poacher
Special Awards
Best New Cheese: Brefu, Cosyn Cymru
Best Export Cheese: St Cera, White Wood Dairy
Best Goat Cheese: St Thom, Lightwood Cheese
Best Organic Cheese:Wyfe of Bath, Bath Soft Cheese
Best PDO/PGI Cheese:Keen’s Vintage Raw Milk Cheddar, Keen’s Cheddar