A Gloucestershire-made cheese has taken the top title at the British & Irish Cheese Awards 2025, held once again at the Bath & West Food & Drink Festival near Shepton Mallet.

Burford, a washed rind, Alpine-style cheese from King Stone Dairy, was named Supreme Champion, beating nearly 600 entries at the 29th edition of the awards. The cheese is made at Manor Farm in Chedworth using organic milk from a single herd, with tasting notes said to include charcuterie, hazelnut, and hints of tropical fruit.

David Jowett, head cheesemaker at King Stone Dairy, said: "We are delighted to hear that Burford has been awarded the title of Supreme Champion at this year's British & Irish Cheese Awards… The award is a tribute to the quality of farming and craftsmanship of our teams."

The awards ceremony took place on Friday 21 March as part of the festival at the Bath & West Showground. The Reserve Champion Cup went to Golden Cross, a goat's cheese log from East Sussex.

Chairman of the awards, Julius Longman, praised the quality and innovation on display, saying: "We had more deliberation and debate than ever before on the way to finding our Champion, which is testament to the outstanding quality on offer from our cheesemakers."

Organised by the Royal Bath & West Society, the judging took place with help from 52 industry experts, including cheesemakers, buyers, mongers and food writers. Judging was carried out in three stages, starting with individual classes, followed by a category round, and finally a face-off between all category winners to find the overall champion.

Festival visitors were able to witness the judging process in action over the weekend of 22–23 March, take part in Guided Cheese Tours, and cast their votes in the People's Choice Award.