Lyburn Farmhouse Cheesemakers are the New Forest’s premium cheesemakers, producing seven different cheeses on their farm using their own pasteurised cow’s milk.

Old Winchester is now a much dryer harder and crystalline cheese, becoming more reminiscent of an old gouda with a distinctive nuttiness in flavour, however it is a product of evolution and need. Because Old Winchester is made with a vegetarian rennet, on a number of occasions the cheese is being sold, and used as a vegetarian replacement for a hard Italian cheese, and yet can still be used as a table cheese, it has that bit more versatility.

Some might argue that this English farmhouse cheese, is better than a hard Italian cheese. We try to sell them at about 18 months (17 months just at the minute) and they will average approx. 4.5kg each. The age will come and go as it is impossible to get the stock level right all the time, we are at the moment, just about right, and there is plenty in the pipeline.

2018 Two silver medals at the Artisan Cheese Awards at Melton Mowbray.
Silver Award at the British Cheese Awards at the Bath and West Show.
Gold Award at the International Cheese Awards in Nantwich Cheshire.
Two Star Gold at the British taste awards.

2019 Gold Award Artisan Cheese Awards at Melton Mowbray
Bronze Award at the British Cheese Awards at the Bath and West Show
Gold Award at the International Cheese Awards in Nantwich Cheshire.
Three Star Gold at the British taste awards.