Canarian cheeses have once again demonstrated their extraordinary quality on the international stage by winning five awards at the 2026 Cincho Cheese Awards, one of Europe’s most prestigious cheese competitions. The final tally for the Canary Islands stands at four Gold Cinchos and one Silver Cincho in an edition that brought together 1,300 entries from 18 countries.
The final stage of the competition, organised by the Agricultural Technology Institute of Castile and León (ITACyL), took place in Valladolid from 2 to 4 June and featured some of the world’s finest cheeses.
Four Canarian cheeses win gold
Among the products awarded a Cincho de Oro is Arquegran Agüimes Semicurado, produced by Arquegran Agüimes in Gran Canaria, which won the award in the category for enzyme-coagulated cow’s milk cheeses.
An Era del Cardón Curado, produced by Luis Martel Perdomo in Gran Canaria, also won a gold medal in the raw goat’s milk cheese category.
The island of La Palma received two new awards thanks to Granja Las Cuevas Oveja Viejo Pimentón and Granja Las Cuevas Mezcla Viejo Pimentón, creations by Félix Alberto Gil Rodríguez which won the top prize in the categories of matured raw sheep’s milk cheese and matured blended cheese, respectively.
Maxorata has been awarded yet another international accolade
The Canary Islands’ medal haul was rounded off with the Silver Cincho awarded to ‘Maxorata Curado con Pimentón’, produced by the Fuerteventura Livestock Farmers’ Group.
This product from Fuerteventura was recognised in the category for cheeses made from pasteurised goat’s milk, cementing the place of Canarian cheeses amongst the competition’s most outstanding entries.
Recognition of the work of the Canarian cheese industry
Narvay Quintero, the Canary Islands Government’s Minister for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty, described these results as recognition of the hard work and dedication of the archipelago’s producers.
As he pointed out, these awards highlight the high standards achieved by the Canarian cheese industry, which is rooted in a tradition deeply linked to the region, to native breeds of livestock and to production methods that combine authenticity, expertise and excellence.
The awards also bolster the international profile of a sector that continues to garner accolades in national and international competitions and which is one of the most important pillars of the Canary Islands’ agri-food production.
An internationally renowned competition
The 2026 edition of the Cincho Cheese Awards has been one of the most competitive in its history. The tasting panel comprised 69 experts from various countries and autonomous communities, including Ruth Lozano, a cheese taster from the Canary Islands.
Following the evaluation of the 1,300 entries, the jury awarded a total of 117 prizes, comprising 67 Gold Cinchos and 50 Silver Cinchos.
Of all the prizes awarded, 73.5 per cent went to Spanish productions, whilst the remainder went to international productions. France and Italy, with seven awards each, and Poland, with six, were the most highly recognised foreign countries.
On the national scene, sheep’s-milk cheeses stood out in particular, accounting for 37 of the 86 prizes awarded to Spanish products, representing 43 per cent of the national total.
The top honours of this year’s event
The three Grand Cinchos de Oro, the competition’s highest honour, were awarded to Colette Nature, from the French cheese producer SAS Fromages Bach; Granoro Cabra, produced by Rueda Cheesemonger in Valladolid; and Rogue River Bleu, from Rogue Creamery in the United States.
Meanwhile, the Excellence Awards recognised ‘Queso Mucientes Curado’, from Quesería Artesana de Mucientes, as the Best Artisan Cheese in Castile and León, and ‘Vasco Navarra’, from Quesos La Vasco Navarra, as the Best Sheep’s Milk Cheese in Spain.
The award for Best Organic Cheese was shared by Montes de Alcalá, from Quesería El Gazul in Cádiz, and Old Wanczyk, produced by the Polish cheese-maker Wanczykowka.
Over 25 years promoting excellence in cheese-making
The Cincho Awards were established in 2000 on the initiative of the Regional Government of Castile and León with the aim of recognising and promoting the quality of Spanish cheeses.
Over more than two decades, the competition has evolved to become an international benchmark for producers, distributors and industry specialists. Its openness to participants from different countries, together with the modernisation of its evaluation and tasting systems, has helped to strengthen its prestige and international standing.
The results achieved by Canarian producers at this year’s event once again place the archipelago’s cheeses amongst the best in the world and highlight the excellence of a sector that continues to enjoy success beyond the islands’ borders.
