Bothwell Cheese has won again at the British Empire Cheese Show in Ontario.

Bothwell Cheese claimed top spot in both the Marbled Cheddar category and for its Monterey Jack. It took second place with its medium coloured cheddar. That means the New Bothwell company has now won for its Marbled Cheddar nine of the last ten years. And according to Mike Raftis, Director of Sales and Marketing, the only year they failed to win was the year they did

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Front Row (left to right) Rob Hiebert, Gil Dueck, Nathan Duecknot enter.

As for medium coloured cheddar, Raftis says they scored 98.05 points out of a possible 100, while the winning cheese had a score of 98.15.

According to Raftis, their cheese is graded on qualities like flavour, texture, closeness and colour finish.

"When we look at our results it's the flavour that seems to set us apart," says Raftis. "We believe we do have a distinct flavour, using our fresh local milk."

This show is judged by cheese makers and Raftis says that is what makes winning so special.

"It's really judged by people that really know their cheese, they make cheese, they know cheese, they understand it," he says. "To come out on top with these products by industry experts is something that we're really proud of."

Raftis calls it a team effort.

"Quality is very important to us," he says. "So when the staff gets to see the fruits of their hard work pay off, it definitely means a lot for us."

Raftis says they weren't victorious across the board in Ontario. He says they entered a lot of different products in different categories and had hoped to place better in the flavoured classes.

"Even if we don't hit first place, it gives us feedback to kind of look at where we sit, if there's any areas where we need to improve upon," he says.

Raftis notes the British Empire Cheese Show originated in 1928 and as one of the longest running shows, it carries a lot of weight. Back in the day this show featured cheeses from around the world, but he says in recent years it has been represented mostly by domestic manufacturers.

*Photos by Bothwell Cheese