Portugal’s Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado Crowned World’s Best Cheese 2024

The World Cheese Awards 2024 has announced its champion, with the prestigious title going to Portugal‘s Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado. This soft, raw ewes’ milk cheese, produced by Quinta do Pomar – Joaquim Duarte Alves, was selected from among 4,786 cheeses from 47 countries.

The judging took place at the Pavilhão Multiusos de Viseu in Portugal, where 240 industry experts from 39 countries evaluated the cheeses based on factors such as appearance, aroma, texture, and flavor. The competition, organized by the Guild of Fine Food, is the world’s largest cheese-only event and has been running since 1988.

Queijo de Ovelha Amanteigado is made with cardoon thistle rennet and matured for 6 weeks to 3 months. It was described by judges as “buttery, glossy and gooey,” and is considered an icon of Portuguese culture. The cheese is produced in Serra da Gardunha, Portugal.

In addition to the overall winner, other notable awards included the Best Irish Cheese, which was awarded to Mount Leinster Clothbound from Coolattin Cheddar Ltd. This raw cows’ milk farmhouse cheddar, produced by Tom Burgess in West Wicklow, impressed judges with its traditional cheese-making process and high-quality milk sourced from cows grazing on clover-rich pasture.

The event also saw significant participation from other countries, with Italy securing multiple medals across various categories. The success of the event was highlighted by John Farrand, managing director of the Guild of Fine Food, who praised the unique cultural and professional exchange facilitated by the awards.

The location for the next year’s World Cheese Awards was announced at the closing dinner, with the event set to take place in Bern, Switzerland in November 2025.