Plus, learn what sets this British competition apart from other international cheese contests.
A scene from judging the Affineur of the Year competition. Photograph courtesy of the Academy of Cheese.
As this issue lands on US shelves, London is hosting the fifth edition of the Academy of Cheese’s Affineur of the Year competition: an event that’s quietly reshaping the craft of affinage worldwide.
Competitors are given young wheels from award-winning British cheesemakers: Quicke’s Cheddar, Trethowan Brothers Gorwydd Caerphilly, Cropwell Bishop Creamery Blue Stilton, Fen Farm Dairy Baron Bigod, and White Lake Cheese Rachel—all made from the same batch of milk. From there, the rules largely disappear. No geographical limits, no prescribed techniques, just experimentation. Entrants brush, wash, and age according to their own instincts, documenting each choice through carefully written Statements of Intent that judges assess alongside the finished cheeses. This unstructured freedom is what makes the competition so compelling.
Compared to other competitions, the format is unique. Cheesemongers and cheesemakers compete side by side, creating a rare level playing field that recognizes affinage as distinct yet inseparable from production and retail. These are not professional affineurs by title but skilled, curious practitioners who, with the consent of the original makers, are given carte blanche to push boundaries. Freed from PDO constraints and orthodox maturation paths, competitors explore humidity, surface treatments, and aging regimes, transforming familiar cheeses into personal expressions of place and process.
What truly sets the competition apart is the collaboration it demands. British cheesemakers place extraordinary trust in the competitors handling their young cheeses. That leap of faith has paid off: Past editions have inspired producers to refine their aging practices and, in some cases, develop entirely new cheeses based on techniques first explored in the competition.
Spotlight On: Josh Windsor
“I am absolutely thrilled to be judging at the Affineur of the Year awards for the first time. As an American affineur, I feel a strong sense of kinship between what the Academy of Cheese has accomplished and the work we do at Murray’s Cheese in New York, where we mature a variety of cheeses from around the world in traditional and novel ways. Affinage is an innovative toolset for both exploring and thinking beyond the traditions and styles of cheese that are available at the counter today. Having admired from afar the creativity and craft that has arisen from previous competitions, it is exciting to now lend a professional eye to this year’s talented and inventive entries.”
Spotlight Cheese: Dillon
Perry Wakeman won his third Academy of Cheese Affineur of the Year title with his wheel Dillon, which has entered production. Made from young clothbound Quicke’s Cheddar, it’s matured for 10 to 12 months. A spiked roller perforates the rind with 244 holes, managing moisture loss and surface mold. The flavor is deeply savory and layered, with toasted butter, roasted nuts, mushroomy umami, and a subtle barbecue note, while the texture is chewy, slightly elastic, and flinty at the break, like a young parmesan-cheddar hybrid.
Tracey Colley
Tracey Colley has worked in the cheese industry for over 20 years; as an award-winning deli owner, a top tier Account Manager and Events Organizer for fine food & cheese Distributor Harvey & Brockless, and currently as Founding Director and Operations Officer of the Academy of Cheese. Tracey has judged at the World Cheese Awards for many years as well as the International Cheese & Dairy Awards and Artisan Cheese Awards.
