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After being postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the international competition World Cheese Awards returned and took place from November 3rd to 7th in northern Spain. Outshining over 4000 entries from more than 40 countries, the soft goat cheese from Spain named “Olavidia” clinched the title of champion in 2021. Previously, this title belonged to the organic blue cheese “Rogue River Blue” from the United States.
This marks the third time Spain has won the gold medal in the world's best cheese competition. The first time was in 2008 with the cheese “Quesco Arico” produced in Tenerife, and the second time was in 2012 with “Manchego” cheese, a specialty of the Albacete region.
Approximately 250 judges including food scientists, chefs, cheese experts, and sommeliers participated in the evaluation. The competition began with 88 tables filled with cheese in a large hall. Each table had 3 judges responsible for assessing 45 types of cheese laid out before them. The evaluation criteria focused on “appearance, taste, smell, aroma, texture,” with the majority of points allocated to taste and deliciousness.
Olavidia is a soft cheese made from goat's milk, a specialty of the town of Jaén, located in southern Spain. Olavidia, commercially known as Quesos y Besos (meaning cheese and kisses), is produced by the family company of Mrs. Silvia Pelaez. Despite employing only 6 staff members, the family-run business has managed to create the world's best cheese thanks to ancestral secrets passed down through generations. Although Olavidia's production quantity is less than 1/10 compared to cheeses from France, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, it surpassed all competitors receiving 103 votes, 5 votes ahead of second place.
Olavidia features a prominent black stripe in the middle of the cheese block, attributed by the organizers to being “aged with penicillium candidum mold and olive wood ash,” which creates its unique color. This distinctive feature of Olavidia enhances its flavors in a unique way. British judge Jason Hinds commented that Olavidia has a “creamy, rich texture” and “a warm, rounded flavor.”According to CNNFor more cheese news, check out the article: 
