Two Spanish Cheeses Among the Best in the World at the World Cheese Awards

Every year, The Guild of Fine Food awards what could be called the Oscars of the cheese world. the These are the World Cheese Awards, a competition that selects the best cheese in the world and a list of finalists. This year's edition, held in the Portuguese city of Viseu, saw two Spanish cheeses among the 14 finalists.

With 84 points, La Cava Barus García-Baquero came just two points shy of victory. Produced by Lácteas García-Baquero (Ciudad Real, Castile-La Mancha), this pressed cheese is made from unpasteurized cow, ewe, and goat milk. Meanwhile, Valleclaro by Quesos y Besos, made from pasteurized milk of Málaga goat breeds, scored 77 points. This cheese, lactic in style and coated with olive stone ash, is crafted in Jaén (Andalusia).

These two cheeses achieved the competition’s highest accolade, the Supergold medal, alongside 23 other Spanish cheeses. With a total of 25, Spain became the most represented country in this top tier.

The 25 Supergold Spanish cheeses

Among the winners were Adiano cheeses, earning three medals for their Cheese Manchego DOP cheeses made from raw sheep milk: Manchego Artesano DOP Aged 20 Months, Manchego Artesano DOP Cured 6 Months, and Manchego Artesano DOP Reserve 18 Months. Another standout was Queso Azul El Roano from Quesería El Roano (Murcia), a blue goat cheese.

Other Supergold cheeses include the creamy goat Bombón Rufino from Quesos Rufino (Extremadura), Camembert Cream from Quesería Lafuente (Cantabria), and the Torta del Casar PDO by Quesería Los Casareños (Extremadura).

Other winners include Doña Casilda Curado al Romero, a goat cheese from Andalusian producer Doña Casilda, and El Pesebre Reserva Especial, a Manchego DOP from Quesera Campo Rus. Quesería Artesanal Los Payuelos in León earned two Supergold medals for their Pata de Mulo Semicurado and Pata de Mulo Curado, both made from ewe’s milk.

Additional mentions include the blue cheese Mezcla Reny Picot by Lácteas Castellano Leonesas and Curado goat cheese and Gran Reserva rosemary cheese from producer Las RRR in Granada. Winners also include Queso de Oveja Curado 7 meses from Quesos Rosario Castaño in Toledo (Castile-La Mancha).

Mahón-Menorca PDO Artesano Torralba Curado from Quesos Torralba in Menorca (Balearic Islands) and Amurga Semicurado from Las Palmas (Canary Islands).

More cheeses earned recognition, such as Rodó de Cendra by Formatgeria La Frasera (Catalonia) and Torta del Zújar by Arteserena (Extremadura). Quesos y Besos also earned a medal for Valleoscuro, a counterpart to Valleclaro. The list concludes with Villadharo Manchego DOP from Quesería Villadharo.

In addition to the 25 Supergold awards, Spanish cheeses earned 95 gold, 231 silver, and 303 bronze medals. The title of the world's best cheese went to Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado by Quinta Pomar, notably crafted by Sonia Marroyo, a Spaniard. Spain has previously claimed the top prize, with Gran Reserva Manchego DOP in 2012 and Olavidia by Quesos y Besos in 2021.

A Showcase for Spanish Cheese

Coinciding with the event, ICEX hosted a dedicated stand featuring 21 Spanish cheeses. A cheesemonger offered tastings and shared insights with visitors. The World Cheese Awards attracted international buyers and key opinion leaders to experience Spanish cheese firsthand. Additionally, three Spanish producers – Quesos y Besos, Quesos de Hualdo, and Quesos Villarejo – showcased their creations.

Celebrating its 36th edition, the World Cheese Awards is the largest cheese-focused event globally. This year, 4,786 cheeses were evaluated by 240 judges to identify 104 Supergold winners, which were then reassessed by a Super Jury to determine the Top 14 cheeses worldwide.