Perthshire firm named the next big cheese

Award: The Strathearn Cheese Company cleans up at the Royal Highland Show

A tiny Perthshire cheese company that was established just 15 months ago has produced the best Scottish cheese at the Royal Highland Show.

The Strathearn Cheese Company’s cheese also won the reserve championship award and a prestigious gold medal at the event.

Strathearn is made from cow’s milk and is a rind-washed cheese that uses local Glenturret whisky. It has already won a gold medal at the world cheese awards in Spain.

Business partners Drew Watson and Pierre Leger launched the business in the former Cultybraggan prisonerof-war camp near Comrie in January last year and converted the camp’s old kitchen and cowshed into a creamery.

Mr Watson said: “We’re pretty chuffed.

“We’re the only cheese company in Perthshire and this is a great award.”

The company’s other product, The Lady Mary, a soft creamy cheese flavoured with wild garlic and truffle oil, won a bronze medal at the show.

Picture: Craig Stephen. Pierre Leger with the awards.