Small Cow Farm 'Small Cow Blue'

Blue
Cow's milk
Southern Highlands
2kg wheels
3-4 months maturation
www.smallcowfarm.com

This is one of Australia's strongest and most characterful blues, and it's made just a short distance from Sydney at Robertson in the Southern Highlands.

Small Cow Blue

Created by Mark and Lesley Williams, 'Small Cow Blue has quite a spicy tang, with a distinctive underlying sweetness. The milk for this cheese comes from a single herd in the Southern Highlands, rather than the Williams' heard of Dexter cows, whose luscious milk is better suited to making soft, white-mould styles.

While the maturation details are a closely-guarded secret, the cheese is allowed to ripen with a natural blue mould growing on the outside, which adds to its full-bodied character. I suspect the cheese is at least partially matured under a wax coating, which may explain its sweet, fruity notes.

At last year's ASCA Sydney Cheese Show, two version were entered. The aged version was really powerful - big, spicy, fruity, sweet - but the slightly younger entry was spot-on for me. It had the perfect balance of salt and spice, with a gorgeous underlying creaminess and a lovely tang on the finish. It reminded me of my favourite all-time blue, Valdeon from Spain (minus the Sycamore leaves).

Small Cow Blue is perfect for Winter, particularly when paired with a rich, raisiny tokay or PX sherry.