Irish cheeses on a winner at prestigious show in UK
Nantwich bills itself as the largest cheese awards in the world, with 4,286 competitors from 27 countries, and Claxstone Smooth Blue from Leicestershire was the supreme champion cheese.
An extra creamy gorgonzola produced in Italy by Arrigoni was the reserve supreme champion, and Belton Cheese from Shropshire won the highest number of gold awards.
Carbery Group won the Kerrygold Trophy for the best Irish cheddar. The west Cork-based company also showed the best overseas cheddar creamery block.
The Irish Dairy Board won the DSM Trophy for the best single vintage cheddar.
The Little Milk Company, Cappagh, Dungarvan, also won gold, in the novice category for producers with less than two years experience.
Fivemiletown Creamery in Co Tyrone had the champion soft or cream cheese with rind, and the best smoked cheese.
Class winners included Dairygold Food Ingredients with a treble win — for cheese with health benefits; for sliced cheese; and for mild cheddar.
There were vegetarian cheese wins for Carbery Group; Kerry Ingredients and Flavours; and Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers.
An open class for Irish cheesemakers was won by Green Pastures, Donegal, ahead of Fivemiletown Creamery, and Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese.
Green Pastures was also a class winner for organic yoghurt; and for fruited quarg, fromage frais or creme frais.
The 1-2-3 in the Irish cheddar class was Carbery Group, Wexford Creamery, and Glanbia.
Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese won an overseas class.
The non-UK mature cheddar block class was an all-Ireland affair, won by Wexford Creamery ahead of the Irish Dairy Board (second and third) and Kerry Ingredients and Flavours.
The Irish Dairy Board had a clean sweep of all three prizes in the non-UK mild cheddar block class — but had to be content with the second and third placings behind Carbery Group in the non-UK extra mature cheddar block class. But the Dairy Board also won a non-UK mild cheddar class.
The non-UK vintage cheddar block class was also an all-Irish affair, won by the Dairy Board ahead of Kerry Ingredients & Flavours and Glanbia Ingredients Ireland.
Old Irish Creamery in Co Limerick won the classes for processed cheese with additives and for non-UK cheese with sweet additives.
Listowel-based Beal Organic Cheese, was “very highly commended” in the hard pressed cheese class.
