Whitestone Cheese, Whitestone Vintage Blue
WINNER
“OMG words fail me,” said one of the judges after tasting Whitestone’s Vintage Windsor Blue Cheese. Another declared it her deathrow meal of choice. The buttery mouthfeel and complex flavours running through the veins of this cheese made it an absolute standout.
Whitestone’s CEO Simon Berry (below) was pleased to hear it. His company is particularly proud of its vintage blue; he says it’s been “raising eyebrows” internationally and later this year will be on the shelf at Laurent Dubois, one of the great cheesemongers of Paris.
So what makes it so good? It starts with the milk produced by cows that graze pasture raised on limestone soils, similar to those found near Bath, where stilton is made, and roquefort in France. The blue culture that gives the cheese its flavour is Whitestone’s own. Developed from the same strain found in the Roquefort caves, it has its own distinct flavour profile and a particular sweet finish.
The flavours that are present in the Vintage Windsor Blue become more complex after six months’ maturation and the texture changes too. “So what you get is a cheese that’s gutsier, with a smooth texture, like velvet.”