Our Christmas orders are now closed. You can still buy our Cheese Subscriptions to start in January, as well as book our courses and tasting events. If you want to purchase vouchers you can do so until the 20th December but please note that it can take up to 48 hours for the vouchers to be emailed to you as we process these manually.
We have a full counter of cheese in our shop in Pangbourne so you can still come in and purchase items in store
Price range: £6.00 through £36.00
Stinking Bishop is a bold, creamy, and complex cheese that really deserves its place among the great British cheeses. The smell might catch you off guard, but the flavour is a lovely mix of savoury, tangy, and sweet. Paired with the right wine, beer, or a few slices of good bread, it can turn any cheese board into something special. Whether you’re just starting to explore washed-rind cheeses or you’re already a fan, I’d say Stinking Bishop is well worth a try.
Of all the wonderful cheeses made here in the UK, Stinking Bishop has to be one of the most talked-about – and not just because of its rather whiffy aroma! It’s the sort of cheese that gets people giggling, but once you get past the smell, there’s a truly delicious, creamy cheese waiting for you. I’ve always thought it’s a great example of British cheesemaking at its boldest. So, let’s have a look at where it comes from, what makes it so special, and how best to enjoy it.
Stinking Bishop is actually a fairly new addition to the British cheese scene, only coming onto the stage in the 1990s thanks to Charles Martell, a cheesemaker from Gloucestershire. If you know the Cotswolds, you’ll know it’s a place with a long history of farming and dairy. Charles took inspiration from the Bishop pear, a local variety used to make perry (that’s a sort of pear cider), and decided to bring those flavours into his cheese. The result? A cheese that’s as memorable for its aroma as it is for its taste, and a real celebration of local produce.
The name ‘Stinking Bishop’ actually comes from that very pear, apparently, it’s quite a pongy one when it’s ripe! The cheese itself is made from cow’s milk and gets its famous aroma from being washed in perry made from those Bishop pears. It’s a lovely mix of local fruit and dairy, using old-school cheese-washing methods, and it’s fair to say it’s become a bit of a legend (and a talking point) in the cheese world.
Now, I know the smell can be a bit much at first (it’s not called Stinking Bishop for nothing!), but if you’re a fan of bold cheeses, it’s well worth a try. It’s picked up quite a following over the years and even won a few awards, so it’s definitely more than just a novelty. Interestingly, making Stinking Bishop helped bring back the old tradition of washing cheeses in alcohol, which had almost disappeared in the UK.
Its fame really took off after it made an appearance on Top Gear, not your usual place for cheese, but it certainly got people talking! These days, it’s one of the best-known British cheeses, even if it’s still a bit of a hidden gem outside the UK.
Stinking Bishop is a soft, washed-rind cheese, and its flavour changes a bit as it matures. The smell is famously strong, we like to say it’s a bit like teenagers’ trainers, but that’s all part of the washed-rind magic. The bacteria on the rind are what give it that unmistakable aroma. Don’t let the smell put you off, though; the taste is much gentler and creamier than you might expect.
Cut into a wedge and you’ll find a smooth, creamy, pale yellow centre. It’s soft but still holds together nicely. The rind is a lovely reddish-orange and a bit sticky from all that perry washing, and that’s where most of the smell comes from!
Flavour-wise, Stinking Bishop is savoury and creamy, with a bit of nuttiness and earthiness, and a nice tang at the end. The perry washing gives it a gentle fruity sweetness, while the rind adds a bit of funk for extra depth. It’s that mix of sweet and savoury that makes it such a treat for the tastebuds.
As it ages, Stinking Bishop gets even softer and almost spreadable, with the flavour becoming stronger and tangier. When it’s young, it’s a bit firmer and milder, so there’s something for everyone, whether you like your cheese gentle and creamy or bold and punchy.
Jen’s note: The ‘Bishop’ pear is named after Frederick ‘Stinking’ Bishop, a 19th-century farmer with a famously short fuse. Legend has it he once shot his kettle because it wouldn’t boil quickly enough…
Sizes and Prices
Storage Advice
Delivery and Collection
Ingredients (Allergens are listed in capitals)
MILK, salt, starter cultures, vegetarian rennet, preservative (natamycin E235), pear cider, red smear culture
Normal opening Monday – Saturday 9am – 4pm until:
Sunday 22nd 9am – 4pm
Monday 23rd 9am – 4pm
Christmas Eve 9am – 12pm
Christmas Day Closed
Boxing Day Closed
Friday 27th Closed
Saturday 28th 9am – 4pm
Sunday 29th Closed
Monday 30th 9am – 2pm
Tuesday 31st 9am – 2pm
New Year’s Day Closed
Thursday 2nd January Closed
Friday 3rd 9am – 4pm then open as normal
After Christmas our courier delivery slots start from 8th January.
