Barkham Blue wins British Cheese Awards 2015

Barkham Blue was picked from nearly a thousand cheeses entered into this year's British Cheeses Awards to be named supreme champion.

The soft, creamy blue, which is made with Channel Island milk in Berkshire by Sandy and Andy Rose of Two Hoots Cheese, was named Best Blue and then went on to take the overall title at the competition, held at the Royal Bath & West show.

It's the second time Barkham Blue has won the award - it was also named Supreme Champion in 2008. Milk from Guernsey and Jersey cows has a high fat content, which helps give the pasteurised cheese its velvety texture and mild creamy flavour (it's often described as a blue cheese for people who don't like blue cheese).The distinctive ammonite shape comes from the fact it is moulded in kitchen colanders.

Other notable winners at this year's awards were Lynher Dairies' Cornish Kern, which was named Best Modern British, while Darling Blue from Doddington Dairy won the Best New Cheese category.

The awards kick starts British Cheese Week, which runs from 1-7 June.

The full list of winners is below.

Supreme Champion 2015: Barkham Blue: Two Hoots Cheese

Best English - Patrick Rance Trophy: Quickes Goat Cheese - Quickes Traditional

Best Scottish -Jeff Reade Trophy: Fearn Abbey Ewe - Highland Fine Cheeses

Best Welsh - Dougal Campbell Trophy: Celtic Promise -Teifi Farmhouse Cheese

Best Irish -Eugene Burns Trophy: Burren Gold - Aillwee Cave [Ireland]

Best Fresh Cheese:Tor - White Lake Cheeses

Best Soft White Cheese: Wicklow Ban Brie -  Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese

Best Semi-Soft Cheese: Goddess - White Lake Cheeses

Best Cheddar: Mature Cheddar Traditional Organic - Belton Cheese

Best Territorial (non-Cheddar): Original Sage Derby -  Fowlers Forest Dairies

Best Modern British Cheese:Cornish Kern - Lynher Dairies Cheese Co

Best Blue Cheese : Barkham Blue - Two Hoots Cheese

Best Flavour Added Cheese: Courage - Swaledale Cheese Company

Best New Cheese: Darling Blue - Doddington Dairy

Best Export Cheese: Mini Marches Blue - Shropshire Cheese Co

Best Goat Cheese: Tor - White Lake Cheeses

Best Creamery Cheese: Vintage Cheddar - Dairy Crest Davidstow