The cheese from the Jura Massif received top honors at the 2026 World Cheese Awards in Córdoba, Spain.
Photographed by Josie Krogh.
A group of international cheese professionals—including 270 mongers, makers, importers, and journalists from more than 50 countries—gathered in Spain’s Southern Andalusia region to see which cheese would be crowned the best at the 2026 World Cheese Awards. Today, they learned the answer: Comté Fort des Rousses, aged 24 months, a French raw cow’s milk cheese from Fromageries Arnaud.
The Comté was selected among 5,330 entries from 45 countries—a record that surpasses last year’s number of submissions. It’s also the first time in four years that a cheese not from the Awards’ host country swept the competition.
Comté is characterized by its smooth, dense, and creamy texture, ranging in color from pale yellow to straw yellow depending on the season when milk is collected. The taste of Fromageries Arnaud’s wheels is described as “powerful[ly] fruity” and “roasted” by the maker, with notes of toasted almonds, melted butter, spices, and citrus fruits emerging. The cheeses are aged for two years in France’s second-largest fortress, located in a park close to the French-Swiss border.
A list of highest-scoring cheeses detailing the top 14 Super Gold entries from around the world has not yet been released, but features cheeses from Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.
The 2027 edition of the event will take place in London.
Alana Pedalino
Alana Pedalino serves as Managing Editor of culture. Her work has been featured in Bon Appétit, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and more. She loves to write, cook, and kayak. Find her bylines at alanapedalino.com.
