Cheesy does it: Rennet & Rind wins Affineur of the Year for third time

Papworth Everard-based Rennet & Rind has again been crowned Affineur of the Year 2025.

It has now won three out of the four editions of the competition, which recognises excellence among those who ripen and age cheese.

Led by chief of cheese Perry James Wakeman, the company impressed the judges with its maturation and refinement of a truckle of cheddar from Quicke’s in Devon.

For this year’s winning cheese, named Dillon, Perry employed an aggressive ageing strategy to create a bold flavour, maturing the clothbound cheddar at a high temperature and high humidity, before removing the cloth after three weeks.

He then used a spiked rolling device to help bring the complex and intense tasting notes usually found near the rind, deep into the cheese.

Judges assessed 43 entries at St Mary’s Marylebone, with methods including washing in cider, coating in petals and adding layers of flavoured paste, while carefully controlling temperature and humidity levels.

Perry said: “When you sell cheese to your customers, a lot of the time you don’t get a lot of feedback - but here, in one room, you have the best cheese people in the world looking at your cheese, and judging it. And it’s so nice to go down with all the other competitors, standing side-by-side, talking about what they did, how they did it, what they didn’t like and what they did like.

“Everyone is sharing and the industry is growing. Well done to the Academy of Cheese for providing this platform, and thanks to Mark and my team. Here’s one for Cambridge and Stamford!”

Rennet & Rind won the competition for its hard cheese entry, while four other categories were won by The Fine Cheese Co in Bath and the Best Blue Cheese prize went to Roger Longman at White Lake Cheese in Somerset.