Shropshire Blue was first made in the 1970s at the Castle Stuart dairy in Inverness, Scotland. It was originally produced by Andy Williamson, a cheesemaker who had trained in the making of Stilton cheese in Nottinghamshire. The cheese was eventually marketed as 'Shropshire Blue', a name chosen to help increase its popularity, despite it having no link to the county of Shropshire.
This cheese is rich and lactic with a wonderful balance of warm spice, earthiness and buttery notes. When young, wheels tend to have a slightly tangy edge, but with age, this dissipates. The cheese is coloured with annatto, making an impressively vivid orange and blue paste.
