A WEST Dorset dairy has beaten hundreds of other cheesemakers to win Best British Cheese at the World Cheese Awards.

Cave Aged Goat’s Cheese made on the Ashley Chase Estate by Ford Farm in Litton Cheney, near Dorchester, was judged by an international panel as the Best British Cheese at the 29th annual World Cheese Awards.

More than 3,000 cheeses were judged, including 510 entries from the UK alone.

The cheese was also one of eight British cheeses to achieve a Super Gold label.

Cave Aged Goat’s Cheese is the latest innovation from Ford Farm, and is made from milk sourced from a Somerset goat herd.

It offers a mild, clean flavour and the texture is firm – similar to that of a cheddar.

The cheese is made using identical techniques to a West Country farmhouse cheddar – the curds are turned by hand, the cheese is pressed into cylindrical moulds, wrapped in cheesecloth and left to mature naturally.

The ‘Cheddaring’ process also involves the salting of the curds and bandaging in cheese cloth.

On this occasion, the cheese is taken to the caves at Wookey Hole in Somerset for maturing which gives it its unique flavour characteristics.

Mike Pullin, director at Ford Farm and the original founder of Wookey Hole Cave Aged Cheddar, said: “Cheese is very porous.

If you leave it uncovered in the fridge, it will really take on the flavour of everything else.

“Placing it in the caves gives our cheddars a very distinctive additional layer which is earthy, rich and nutty and is a direct result of the cave’s atmosphere.

“Our Cave Aged Goat is mild from a goat flavour point of view but add to this all the rich and complex characteristics from the cave and you have a truly winning variety.”

Ford Farm is already enjoying widespread success with its original Cave Aged Cow’s Milk Cheddar which has been around since 2006.

Cave Aged Goat’s Cheese is already available through local delis and specialist cheese shops as well as nationally through Tesco and Marks and Spencers stores.

Mr Pullin said: “We are absolutely bowled over to win this award, beating off so many prestigious and established British competitors.

“It’s a real achievement and credit to our superbly productive goats as well as our talented cheesemakers!”