Snowdonia Cheese Company Rock Star 150g Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese Truckle with Balsamic Caramelised Onion Chutney

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Gigantic waxy wheels sat next to tiny soft goat logs. There were towering blues, flat creamy medallions and imposing cheddar slabs. There were cheeses the shape of witch hats and flowers, cheeses wrapped in nettle leaves or covered in ash. There were plain, simple cheeses. There were cheeses resembling cakes, elaborately garnished in fruit. Everything was beautifully in balance,” says Palit, tapping a very plain-looking cow milk cheese. “There was a good mouthfeel, it was wonderfully complex – and most importantly, we agreed on it.” John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food that organized the 34th edition of the annual event in partnership with the Welsh government, says victory can push a tiny artisan cheese maker into the big time.

is excited to announce Snowdonia Cheese Company’s first-ever vintage cave-aged Cheddar, adding to their range of award-winning, contemporary cheeses crafted in the Welsh tradition. Snowdonia partners exclusively with Atalanta to bring this vibrantly flavored cheese from North Wales to the US market. He cites the case of Norwegian cheese producer Ostegården, which triumphed a few years ago when the owner was on the point of retirement. The victory inspired his son to switch his career plans and return to the family farm, eventually building a tiny operation into a major exporter.

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Beyond the judging tables, Jenny Lee, who only recently began producing cheese with her husband at Torpenhow, a farming area in the green hills of the UK’s rural northern Cumbrian region, was looking on in anticipation. This is beautiful, really fruity and pleasant,” says Young after using a cheese iron to bore out a sample of the first. “It’s got a bit of a bite and texture. It tastes like strawberry laces.” That heady and almost intoxicating mix of ripening dairy produce and friendly competition was swirling around a conference center in the United Kingdom on Wednesday as 250 international judges sniffed, prodded and chomped their way along tables groaning with cheese to decide which should take the crown at the 2022 edition of the World Cheese Awards.

The arduous work began shortly after 10 a.m. in the International Conference Centre on the outskirts of the Welsh city of Newport when the judges trooped into the main event hall to the lung-busting strains of a Welsh male voice choir. We’ve always been fascinated by the art of cave-ageing cheese – and the exceptional flavours it creates – so some time ago we asked our expert cheesemakers to explore our home region of North Wales to find the perfect location for cheese maturation. Eventually, they discovered a former slate mine buried 500ft deep, surrounded by the mountains of Snowdonia National Park and the protected Dark Sky Reserve.It’s a real labor of love to mature a cheese deep underground in such a remote setting, and for us, it’s worth it.” Says Richard Newton-Jones, commercial director at Snowdonia Cheese Company, “The flavor is stunning, and the setting is incredible – it’s a real honor to work with the natural landscape in this way, surrounded by the majestic beauty of Snowdonia.” She was hoping her cheeses had done justice to the milk produced by her “hybrid” herd of Jersey, Friesian and Norwegian Red cows. Meanwhile on table 70, where another ammonia-tinged cheese has the judges reaching for palate-cleansing slices of apple, the slog of sampling dozens of dairy products was starting to take its toll. Natali Kahadi of Ukrainian cheese distributor Ardis, which brought entries and set up a stall on the sidelines of the event, said the conflict was hitting cheese makers hard.

When you gather 4,434 cheeses from 42 countries in one room to find out which is best, there’s inevitably a sense of excitement in the air. There is, of course, inevitably also a very, very powerful smell. Buy cheese online from Snowdonia Cheese Company, a family business founded in North Wales in 2001. Browse our online cheese shop to discover our range of award-winning luxury cheeses, traditionally made chutneys, decadent hampers and thoughtful cheese gifts, all ready to be delivered to your door. This year’s winner, a gruyère from Switzerland, was eventually chosen by a panel of top judges after the field had been whittled down first to 98 “super gold” champions and then to a final 16. Elizabeth, NJ — Atalanta is excited to announce Snowdonia Cheese Company’s first-ever vintage cave-aged Cheddar, adding to their range of award-winning, contemporary cheeses crafted in the Welsh tradition. Snowdonia partners exclusively with Atalanta to bring this vibrantly flavored cheese from North Wales to the US market.Kris Lloyd, an Australian cheese maker and judge on table 17, despaired at the quality of some entries. “You can tell when someone starts off with really good milk and doesn’t mess with it,” she said. “But we’ve seen a lot of messing this morning.” On table 95, Emma Young, Ben Ticehurst and Matt Lardie – three experts with more than 30 years’ industry experience between them – were eyeing up a couple of textured Spanish cheeses, one of which would be their “super gold” winner. It’s the second cheese, bearing imprinted patterns of the basket in which it was ripened, that goes through to the next round. “It’s perfect,” said Young. “It’s an incredible example of a Manchego.” Hosting the event is also a big deal, Farrand added, with Wales hoping it’ll help spotlight its homegrown cheeses and its wider food industry. To create our products, we source only the finest fresh and natural ingredients, taking our inspiration from the lush greenery of beautiful Snowdonia National Park. While we first started out selling our premium Cheddar and Red Leicester cheeses at local markets, we soon won a cult following – as well as multiple awards. Today, our cheeses and chutneys are loved all over the world and can be found in more than 25 countries. We’re proud to offer the full Snowdonia range in our online cheese shop, as well as a carefully selected collection of wines, beers and cheese accompaniments from our favourite guest producers.

After eating 20 cheeses, you do start to dip,” said Dutch judge Gijs Dankers. Other judges mentioned experiencing a “cheese high” and “the sweats.” Because the room is filled with cheese and people who love cheese, there’s an upbeat mood during the early judging stages that cuts through the sonorous hum emanating from the competition entries. It’s a spotlight that had originally been due to fall on Ukraine this year. The country had to postpone its hosting turn because of the Russian invasion.