Unveiling Australia's top creamy delights: Winners of Melbourne Royal Dairy Awards announced!
What's Australia's best ice cream? Who makes the top-quality butter? Which company's cheese should be an essential in your fridge? If you've ever pondered these questions, then keep reading because we've got the answers!
Recently, the Melbourne Royal Dairy Awards recognised the very best in Australian dairy, from milk and cheese to ice cream and yoghurt.
The 'creme-de-la-creme' of Australia's creamy offerings isn't just showcased but meticulously appraised by a panel of discerning judges with well-developed palettes. As a result, food enthusiasts can now get a glimpse into their next culinary must-tries.
The recent crowning of the winners has given us some exceedingly drool-worthy products to talk about.
So, without further ado, let's dive into the winner's circle of this year's Melbourne Royal Dairy Awards, and who knows, you might fall head over heels for a new dairy delight.
The most coveted title, 'Australia’s Best Ice Cream', has been awarded to a stunning Fig Ripple ice cream from Elato Artisanal Ice Cream.
This delightful dessert captivated judges with its generous ‘swirls of fruit and jammy syrup’, and indulgent layers of burnt spicy caramel that provide a ‘great balance and depth of flavours’.
Turning to a classic favourite, cheese, it was Tasmania's Coal River Farm that stole the limelight.
Specifically, their blue cheese took the crown for its ‘nice salty developed rind, with a little white mould.’
‘Rich fatty, and intense. Crumbly open texture. Slight sweetness balanced with umami and earthiness,’ the judges remarked.
In total, the nine seasoned judges (all distinguished industry experts) had the challenging task of assessing 207 entries for the 2023 awards. The rigorously ranked products were judged on flavour and aroma, body and texture, presentation, condition and melting.
A standout was the Gelato Gelato company, which was showered with accolades, including the coveted ‘Champion Dairy Producer’ and ‘Champion Victorian Dairy Producer, presented by Agriculture Victoria’ titles.
This Victorian business scooped another prestigious honour: its choc mint was crowned the Best Gelato for 2023.
Judges commented, 'Exceptional...Well done, [the] texture is great, [the] balance of flavour is great, great chocolate inclusions.'
Butter buffs may want to get their hands on the award-winning product from Ocean Grove in Victoria. LardAss Butter’s Black Garlic Cultured Butter was praised for its delicate balance and creaminess, winning the Best Butter title.
And let’s not forget about the good ol' yoghurt. Bulla Dairy Foods clinched the title for Best Unflavoured Yoghurt, while The Yoghurt Co Victoria’s EOSS Vanilla Bean triumphed as the Best Flavoured Yoghurt.
In the milk category, Tasmania’s Ashgrove Cheese stood on the podium for Best Unflavoured Fresh Milk, and Western Australia’s Brownes Foods Operates won the flavour-lovers over with its Aldi Champ Iced Coffee Flavoured Milk.
See the full list of categories and winners here.
So there you have it, the true cream of the crop in Australia’s dairy industry. If you've not tried these award-winners, we'd say it's high time you did. Of course, always remember that tastes are personal, and what's gold to one person might be silver to another.
If you're looking for well-regarded, quality dairy products that can elevate your culinary experiences, you can't go wrong with these champions of creamy delight!
Did you see your favourite on the list, members? Let us know in the comments below!
Recently, the Melbourne Royal Dairy Awards recognised the very best in Australian dairy, from milk and cheese to ice cream and yoghurt.
The 'creme-de-la-creme' of Australia's creamy offerings isn't just showcased but meticulously appraised by a panel of discerning judges with well-developed palettes. As a result, food enthusiasts can now get a glimpse into their next culinary must-tries.
The recent crowning of the winners has given us some exceedingly drool-worthy products to talk about.
So, without further ado, let's dive into the winner's circle of this year's Melbourne Royal Dairy Awards, and who knows, you might fall head over heels for a new dairy delight.
The most coveted title, 'Australia’s Best Ice Cream', has been awarded to a stunning Fig Ripple ice cream from Elato Artisanal Ice Cream.
This delightful dessert captivated judges with its generous ‘swirls of fruit and jammy syrup’, and indulgent layers of burnt spicy caramel that provide a ‘great balance and depth of flavours’.
Turning to a classic favourite, cheese, it was Tasmania's Coal River Farm that stole the limelight.
Specifically, their blue cheese took the crown for its ‘nice salty developed rind, with a little white mould.’
‘Rich fatty, and intense. Crumbly open texture. Slight sweetness balanced with umami and earthiness,’ the judges remarked.
In total, the nine seasoned judges (all distinguished industry experts) had the challenging task of assessing 207 entries for the 2023 awards. The rigorously ranked products were judged on flavour and aroma, body and texture, presentation, condition and melting.
A standout was the Gelato Gelato company, which was showered with accolades, including the coveted ‘Champion Dairy Producer’ and ‘Champion Victorian Dairy Producer, presented by Agriculture Victoria’ titles.
This Victorian business scooped another prestigious honour: its choc mint was crowned the Best Gelato for 2023.
Judges commented, 'Exceptional...Well done, [the] texture is great, [the] balance of flavour is great, great chocolate inclusions.'
Butter buffs may want to get their hands on the award-winning product from Ocean Grove in Victoria. LardAss Butter’s Black Garlic Cultured Butter was praised for its delicate balance and creaminess, winning the Best Butter title.
And let’s not forget about the good ol' yoghurt. Bulla Dairy Foods clinched the title for Best Unflavoured Yoghurt, while The Yoghurt Co Victoria’s EOSS Vanilla Bean triumphed as the Best Flavoured Yoghurt.
In the milk category, Tasmania’s Ashgrove Cheese stood on the podium for Best Unflavoured Fresh Milk, and Western Australia’s Brownes Foods Operates won the flavour-lovers over with its Aldi Champ Iced Coffee Flavoured Milk.
See the full list of categories and winners here.
So there you have it, the true cream of the crop in Australia’s dairy industry. If you've not tried these award-winners, we'd say it's high time you did. Of course, always remember that tastes are personal, and what's gold to one person might be silver to another.
Key Takeaways
- The Melbourne Royal Dairy Awards has announced the best in Australia's dairy products, ranging from ice cream and cheese to milk, yoghurts and butter.
- Elato Artisanal Ice Cream's Fig Ripple flavour was crowned the Best Ice Cream, while Coal
River Farm's blue cheese was named the Best Cheese.
- The award for the champion dairy producer was taken by Gelato Gelato, a Victorian business.
- Other notable winners include LardAss Butter for Best Butter, Bulla Dairy Foods for Best Unflavoured Yoghurt, and Ashgrove Cheese for Best Unflavoured Fresh Milk.
If you're looking for well-regarded, quality dairy products that can elevate your culinary experiences, you can't go wrong with these champions of creamy delight!
Did you see your favourite on the list, members? Let us know in the comments below!