Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, a traditional British-style Cheddar has taken Best of Show in the American Cheese Society’s Annual Cheese Competition. The cheese is made by Cabot Creamery in Montpelier, Vt., but aged and finished by Jasper Hill Farm, a small farmstead cheesemaker in nearby Greensboro, Vt. It took first place in the Aged Cheddar (12-24 month) category.

The Best of Show was chosen from more than two dozen category winners that were among a record 941 cheeses entered in the competition. It was held at the society’s 23rd annual conference in Portland, Ore.

Attendance at the July conference was up 30% from the prior year’s gathering in Louisville, Ky. Most educational program sessions were filled to capacity. There was also a noticeable increase in participation by large companies with specialty cheese lines including Saputo, Agropur, and Lactalis America.