King Island comes with a special mystique; the windswept island’s air is regarded as the cleanest in the world, and it is one of a few Australian islands that have largely escaped overdevelopment. Like the air, the rainwater that falls has not crossed a landmass. Coming by way of the Roaring Forties, it is well away from the polluting effects of hovering overland with its cities and smog. So King Island, almost equidistant from Tasmania and the Victorian coast (80 and 90 kilometres respectively), has quietly built a reputation for outstanding dairy produce.
King Island Dairy was founded in 1901 but first began making specialty cheeses in the 1970s. Since then, the quality of the milk used and the ever-growing team of skilled cheesemakers have ensured that the dairy consistently ranks among Australia’s finest. It continues to take out numerous premier awards at the Dairy Industry Association of Australia, the Australian Grand Dairy Awards, and the Royal Sydney Cheese and Dairy Product Show.
In recent years, the range of cheeses has also grown substantially, keeping pace as the Australian palette becomes more adventurous, allowing stronger-flavoured cheeses on the market. The dairy attributes its success to the passion evident among the community, the quality of craftsmanship from a close-knit team and the pure ingredients at hand.
Choosing three of the best King Island Dary cheese was never going to be a simple task; however, we’ve decided upon three consistent award-winners of exception quality within their class.
King Island Black Label Black Wax Cheddar (formerly Cloth Wrapped)
Only the finest wheels are selected and wrapped in wax for further maturation to make this well matured and beautifully milky-clean flavoursome cheddar. It’s a firm, close-textured cheese with a flavour spectrum from delicate to rich as it matures. It is aged for at least 24 months.
King Island Dairy Roaring Forties Blue
King Island Dairy Roaring Forties Blue is a full-flavoured blue with a sweet, slightly nutty character and a tropical fruit aroma. This rindless cheese is matured in its wax coating, which cuts off the oxygen supply, promoting its sweet and fruity flavour. The wax also assists in retaining the blue’s moisture, creating a smooth and creamy texture. The cheese is named after the Roaring Forties gales that frequently bring westerly winds to the island, which lies on the 40 degrees latitude.
Royal Queensland Cheese & Dairy Produce Show 2021 Gold Medal
King Island Dairy Stormy
King Island Dairy Stormy is made in the style of Normandy’s famous Pont L’Eveque – one of the world’s strongest smelling and sweetest tasting cheeses. Known colloquially as ‘stinky cheese’, it has a wild and earthy aroma and an interior – soft and mild with a surprisingly sweet and subtle buttery flavour. The rind is washed with a particular bacterium brine solution during creation, delivering a distinctive aroma and red/orange colour.
Australian Grand Dairy Awards 2020 Washed Rind Champion
Dairy Industry Association of Australia 2020 Gold Medal
Royal Sydney Cheese and Dairy Product Show 2020 Gold Medal
Royal Sydney Cheese and Dairy Product Show 2020 Australian Cheeseboard Perpetual Trophy
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