White Lake Cheese in Somerset has landed the Best English Cheese trophy at the British Cheese Awards 2024, taking one of this year’s top honours with Tor, a pyramid-shaped fresh lactic goat’s cheese that is lightly coated in ash. Held at the Bath & West Showground on Friday 22 March, the 28th British Cheese Awards assessed over 600 entries from across the UK and Ireland, before welcoming cheese lovers into the judging arena throughout the new Bath & West Food & Drink Festival.
All trophies were presented during the British Cheese Awards Dinner, with Snowdrop by Cote Hill in Lincolnshire taking the Supreme Champion trophy and Cashel Blue from Cashel Farmhouse Cheesemakers named Reserve Champion, as well as Best Irish Cheese. Best Scottish Cheese went to Minger from Highland Fine Cheeses and Best Welsh Cheese was awarded to Gafr Las from Bryngaer Goats.
Roger Longman, owner of White Lake Cheese, commented: “We are delighted with this award, which endorses the feeling of our entire team here at White Lake – that we produce a superb lactic goat’s cheese, with its combination of citrus flavours, a typical goat’s cheese tang and subtle peppery undertone from the light coating of ash. The pointier pyramid shape is a celebration of the Glastonbury Tor, which is clearly visible from our farm, and differentiates us from the more typical French pyramid cheeses. Cheese making is a team effort, and it’s amazing to have the skills of our cheesemakers, dedicated affineurs, expert wrappers and dispatchers at Bagborough Farm recognised. This award confirms that Tor is a standout cheese for any cheeseboard, both at home and in restaurants.”
Organised by The Royal Bath & West Society, the British Cheese Awards saw a 63-strong judging panel made up of cheesemakers, cheesemongers, cheese experts, buyers and commentators assessing entries in their individual classes during the morning session, awarding Bronze, Silver and Gold accolades. During the second round, all Gold award winners from each category were judged alongside one another to identify the category winners, before all category winners were judged in the final round to find this year’s Supreme Champion and Reserve Champion.
Hosted for the first time by the new Bath & West Food & Drink Festival, the British Cheese Awards invited festival visitors to sample some of this year’s entries over the course of the weekend and to cast their votes in the People’s Choice Award.
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