On the southern outskirts of Arklow Town, you’ll find Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese, run by The Hempenstall family who have been milking cows on this small dairy farm for the past 50 years. Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese is multi award-winning cheese producer, and being just 2km from the coast the sea air gives a unique flavour to the farm’s lush grasslands and in turn, adds a distinctive flavour to the milk to produce the seductively addictive cheeses.
Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese has been awarded 20 BLÁS na hÉIREANN awards since 2006, and has also been winners on multiple occasions at the British Cheese Awards, the World Cheese Awards and the Global Cheese Awards, as well as the Great Taste Awards here in Ireland!
Dairy farmer John Hempenstall started making Wicklow Blue in 2002, before opening a purpose-built, cheese making facility on his farm in 2005. Wicklow Blue is a blue brie style cheese made using pasteurised cow’s milk and vegetarian rennet. The bloomy white rind enrobes a butter scented, yellow paste with lined with blue-green mould. The blue flavour is unpronounced and doesn’t interfere with the overall impression of creamy whipped butter and salad mushrooms on the palate.
Since then, John has added a number to other cheese to the range including Wicklow Brie, Wicklow Bán, Plain Cheddar, Cheddar with Tomato & Herb, Cheddar with Basil & Garlic, Cheddar with Nettle & Chive and Wicklow Gold Beechwood Smoked Cheddar.
You’ll find the Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese range in Tesco and other major supermarkets and as Simply Better Bán in Dunnes Stores.
Drop into the Shop onsite to purchase your chosen cheeses direct from the producer!
Curranstown House, Email: info@wicklowfarmhousecheese.ie Curranstown Lower, Phone: 0402 91713 Arklow, Co Wicklow.
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