Northern Ireland's Ballylisk Cheese shortlisted for major UK award

Ballylisk of Armagh, a recently launched producer of Triple Rose cheese, is the only Northern Ireland company, shortlisted in the prestigious Speciality Food magazine's New Produce Awards 2018.

The company, based on a family farm at Tandragee, county Armagh, is now producing two artisan cheeses by hand in a purpose-built creamery at Portadown in Armagh. The cheese is listed in the Newcomers category in the annual awards. The two cheeses as a Brie-style Triple Cream and an Armagh cider apple washed variety.

The magazine, referring to Ballylisk's listing, says: "When a company's motto is 'Begin with perfection', you know provenance will top the agenda, and that's certainly true of Ballylisk of Armagh and its Triple Rose single herd white mould triple cream cheese."

"The land is where our product starts," says dairy farmer Dean Wright, the first of five generations of Wright dairy farmers to produce cheese. "The high health status of the herd, the generations of farming expertise and the complete control over the whole process all help to make this cheese something truly special."

With awards already racking up for this new cheesemaker and, as the only artisan cheesemaker in Northern Ireland to be using their own milk pool, it's clear to see why Ballylisk of Armagh is in the running for a New Producer Award.

The magazine continues: "And with two further cheeses, a blue and a cider washed version, plus a butter in production, the future looks bright for this new cheesemaker."

Speciality Food magazine is among the most influential food and drink industry in the UK. The Producer Awards are organised by the magazine to celebrate the innovation and quality of food products from artisan and smaller enterprises.