A Norwegian blue has been crowned the best in the world in a ceremony this week, beating hundreds of contenders from around the globe.

The cheese, Nidelven Blå from cheesemaker Gangstad Gårdsysteri, vied against the crème de la crème of the cheese world in Trondheim, Norway, in the world’s largest global cheese event. Organised by the Guild of Fine Food, the World Cheese Awards, now in its 35th run, saw experts from across the globe join forces to crown this year’s champion.

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Across 100 tables, two judges tested 40-50 cheeses each in order to determine who would take the top spot. That’s a lot of fromage.

The cows milk cheese by Gårdsysteri is described as being extremely mild with a bloomy exterior and a semi-firm blue mould interior. Named after the Trøndelag county river, Nidelven Blå is made just two hours from the centre of Trondheim, the host city for the 2023 World Cheese Award.

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