Stilton crowned Supreme Champion at Virtual Cheese Awards

Cropwell Bishop Stilton, the PDO velvety blue cheese hand made at a family-owned dairy in the Vale of Belvoir, Nottinghamshire, has been named Supreme Champion and Best British Blue at the Reiser Virtual Cheese Awards 2025. It won over 220 other British cheeses for the title.

Now in its sixth year, the Virtual Cheese Awards has transformed the traditional cheese judging format by making the entire process transparent and accessible online. Every sniff, taste, and comment is broadcast live, allowing cheese makers and the public alike to witness the judging by some of the UK’s most respected experts.

Cropwell Bishop Stilton wowed judges across all three rounds, culminating in a final assessment by the super jury, featuring: Emma Young from The Cheese Explorer, Bronwen Percival, of Neal’s Yard Dairy, Sarah Miness of Waitrose & Partners, and Kay Brennan from Tesco.

The judges commented, “Wow! A very good example of a Stilton with a malty biscuity aroma, a good, consistent rind, rich blue veining, and a buttery, fudgy texture. It has an outrageously good, creamy, mouthfeel with an explosion of brothy, Marmite flavours.”

Robin Skailes, director, Cropwell Bishop says: “We’re absolutely delighted to win the Supreme Champion, and we really enjoyed hearing the judges’ comments about our cheese.   We love making cheese and to get this recognition makes it all worthwhile.”

Cropwell Bishop is one of only five dairies in the world licensed to make Stilton, which has Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, meaning it can only be produced in specific counties using a specific method.

The live final of the awards, hosted online over 10–11 June by chef, broadcaster and local food champion Nigel Barden, was a celebration of the very best in British cheesemaking.

Sarah de Wit, founder of the Reiser Virtual Cheese Awards said: “Cropwell Bishop is an exceptional British cheese that elicited exuberant responses from our judges on how ‘outrageously good’ it was. It’s our first-ever blue Supreme Champion, a fantastic moment for English Stilton makers.”

Second place and Best Territorial was Mrs Bournes Cheshire, a handmade, clothbound, unpasteurised Cheshire with a crumbly texture and light creaminess.   Third Place & Best Cheddar went to Montgomery Extra Mature Cheddar, a robust, 18-month aged Somerset cheddar with nutty, spicy depth.

The 2025 competition was the biggest awards yet, featuring more than 220 entries across eight categories from more than 65 British dairies. The awards were supported by major retailers including Waitrose & Partners, Morrisons, and Tesco, alongside cheesemongers, affineurs, authors and food journalists.

de Wit added: “The UK boasts a vibrant and innovative dairy industry, harnessing our lush grasslands and unique climate to produce world-class cheeses, but it needs support. There has never been a more crucial time to champion British cheesemakers, and we hope our awards goes help keep it in the spotlight.”

The awards also celebrate people behind the cheese in its excellence awards, which honour individuals in the industry, these were awarded to Paul Heasman of Rowcliffe, with the Cheese Hero Award, while Young Cheesemaker went to Charlie Donaldson of High Weald Dairy. The New Cheesemaker gong went to Steve Reid, of Northampton Cheese Company, and the Sustainability Trophy was awarded posthumously to Wilma Finlay of The Ethical Dairy, for her pioneering work in cow-with-calf farming and sustainable dairy production.

Category Champions

• Best Enhanced: Barncliffe Truffled Brie – Milwood Artisans/Yorkshire Fine Cheese (Huddersfield)
• Best Speciality: Ogleshield – J. A. & E. Montgomery Ltd (Somerset)
• Best Territorial: Mrs Bournes Cheshire – HS Bourne (Cheshire)
• Best Artisan Hard: Cornish Kern – Lynher Dairies (Cornwall)
• Best Cheddar: Montgomery Extra Mature Cheddar – J.A.E Montgomery Ltd (Somerset)
• Best Blue & Supreme Champion: Cropwell Bishop Stilton – Cropwell Bishop (Nottinghamshire)
• Best Artisan Soft: Elrick Log – Errington Cheese Ltd (Scotland)
• Best Cheese from Own Herd Milk: Blackmount – Errington Cheese Ltd (Scotland)

Launched in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic by Sarah de Wit, the awards were created to support British cheese makers facing immense challenges. With entries now in the hundreds and thousands tuning in each year, the Virtual Cheese Awards has become a key event in the UK cheese calendar. “Britain’s dairy sector is innovative and vibrant, but it needs continued support,” added de Wit. “There’s never been a more important time to champion our cheese makers and shine a spotlight on world-class British cheese.”

For more information on the Virtual Cheese Awards log on to: www.virtualcheeseawards.com