We have been waiting almost 2 months to get our hands on this amazing cheese from Carr Valley, one of America’s finest specialty cheese producers. We discovered this delicious variety at the now closed Cheese Shop in Santa Barbara. After a long day of tasting over 30 cheeses from all over the world, this was the unanimous winner.

Carr Valley is owned by Sid Cook, who is one of a small handful of certified Master Cheesemakers in the United States. It’s a distinction awarded only to veteran Wisconsin craftsmen who complete a rigorous 15-year advanced training and education program.

In the past three years alone, Carr Valley cheeses have won more than 60 top awards in U.S. and international competitions. Many of these have been won by Sid’s one-of-a-kind American Originals – artisan cheeses you won’t find made anywhere else in the world. These cheeses include Black Sheep Truffle, Cave Aged Marisa, and Smoked Ba Ba Blue, Baraboo Blue, Chevre au Lait, Cocoa Cardona, and Goat Cheddar, Bread Cheese, Jenny Eye Reserve, Sid’s Bahl Baby Swiss, Menage, Mobay, and Shepherd’s Blend.

Aged at least 2 years, this olive-oil-cured specialty is a real winner. It’s fruity, nutty, intense, sweet and pungent all at the same time. How good is it? Gran Canaria was judged Best of Show at the 2004 American Cheese Society Competition.