The Master Cheesegrader

First and foremost, the quality of our cheese is maintained by our herds of contented cows grazing on lush Somerset pasture. However, once the cheese begins to mature, responsibility is transferred to our Master Cheese Grader, Nigel Pooley. Indeed, so important is Nigel's role that his nose is insured for £5 million.

Every batch we produce must pass Nigel's severe scrutiny. The taste, texture and smell are all crucial to the enjoyment of our Farmhouse Cheddar and it is Nigel's job to ensure that our renowned reputation for making award-winning cheese continues. Not surprisingly, his credentials are impeccable. Nigel has been involved in cheese production since 1963 and has graded Wyke Farms cheese for the past 12 years.

Using his unique experience, Nigel is responsible for selecting high quality cheese for our volume products and, more importantly, he has to pick out the ones worthy of further maturing to become our special vintage cheeses. Over the years he has learned how to detect the subtle differences in aroma and texture which makes cheese taste great. And since Wyke Farms sell over 14,000 tonnes every year, Nigel (and more particularly his nose) are two of the most valuable assets we have.