The Artisan Cheese Awards at St Mary’s Church take centre stage in Melton Mowbray each spring, drawing judges and cheese lovers alike. This year, the town buzzed with excitement as experts once again assembled for a cheese tasting.

Inside the judging hall, long tables display diverse cheeses, including curds, washed-rinds, cheddars, alpine style wheels, and blues. Judges engage in a thorough analysis of each cheese. It’s a real celebration of artisan cheesemaking.

Judging cheese involves assessing its appearance, texture, aroma, and, most importantly, flavour. It requires keen focus, thoughtful discussion, and a well trained palate.

One thing that always stands out is the mix of people judging. You’ll find cheesemongers, buyers, food writers, and (of course) cheesemakers. It’s quite the crowd.

What I love about the Artisan Cheese Awards is that each and every cheese receives thorough feedback, helping makers improve for future competitions. We always try to be as positive and as constructive as possible, after all we are all wanting to showcase brilliant British cheeses.

Judging is a real rollercoaster. Your taste buds are put to the test, conversations are lively, and each table reflects the creativity and energy found in British and Irish cheese. And of course, there’s always that special moment when you come across a cheese that makes everyone stop and take notice. It’s a real treat.

I nearly always judge the goats’ cheese category and this year was no exception. We had an absolute plethora of fabulous cheeses to taste. By the end of the morning we had 7 or 8 gold medallists which is a really good number to have in a category. It all came down to 2 brilliant cheeses, there wasn’t a lot to choose between them but one just had the edge.

The top cheese in every category (there are 20 in total) then get judged again so the cheeses can get whittled down to one Supreme Champion. I was lucky enough to be on the final judging panel and again it was a really hard choice, but I think the best cheese came out on top.

The winners are announced next weekend at The Artisan Cheese Fair, again in Melton Mowbray. If you are in the area I would thoroughly recommend popping along. Cheesemakers from all over the UK and Ireland will be there, showcasing their cheeses.

If you love artisan food, events like this are a great reminder that every cheese reflects dedication, creativity, and community. At its core, the Artisan Cheese Awards celebrate not just quality cheese but the people and passion behind each wheel. For me it is a real highlight of the year.