CHEESE lovers were given a special treat on their visit to Coleford’s Forest Deli last week with a free sample of the newly-crowned “World’s Best Cheese”.

Debbie and Simon Jones, who run the artisan deli in the centre of town, had already booked an in-store tasting of Swiss cheese Le Gruyere for Friday (November 4), with free samples being offered out to customers.

But it just so happened that two days earlier, the cheese had won the top prize at the 2022 World Cheese Awards in Wales.

Jeremy Bowen, one the world champion cheese makers behind Le Gruyere, was on hand in the shop to give out the free samples and chat to customers about the cheese and award win.

The owners had themselves attended the awards, which were held at the Celtic Manor last Wednesday (November 2), to hunt for new cheeses for the shop.

And the world’s best cheese was clearly a hit with locals as after the successful taster day last week, the deli completely sold out of Le Gruyere.

But Debbie and Simon have some more on order and will have it back in stock this week.

Those who hold a Forest Deli loyalty card can get a 10 per cent discount on Le Gruyere until the end of November.

The 2022 World Cheese Awards, hosted by the Guild of Fine Foods, received more than 4,000 entries from cheese makers from over 40 countries.