Swiss mountain dairy farm «Forderfoltingen», located south of Bern, has won the award for the world's best cheese in 2025. The «Gruyere Special» cheese received 85 points from the jury, winning the 37th annual World Cheese Awards.
This cheese is made from raw cow's milk and aged for over 18 months, giving it a rich flavor and a distinctive creamy texture.
Second place went to a French creamy cheese with flowers from the Basque region, followed by the Swiss «Appenzeller» cheese, aged for nine months.
Awards were also given in other categories, such as «Best Unpasteurized Cheese», «Best Goat Cheese», and «Best Smoked Cheese», as well as «Best Cheese» titles for each participating country.
The competition featured more than 5,200 cheese varieties from 46 countries, with approximately one-fifth of the entries from Switzerland.
During the event, participants were challenged by strong and diverse aromas, described as "stinky socks" and "a sick dog," which tested the senses before the tasting began.