The Cabrales cheese auctioned for 37,500 euros, making it the most expensive cheese in the world

It is now officially the most valuable cheese in the world. It comes from Asturias, won the auction held in Arenas de Cabrales, and it took an alliance between four restaurants—three from Madrid and one from Gijón—to raise the amount it fetched.

Nine months of maturation

This is a cheese, weighing just over two kilos, made by Encarnación Bada, from the Ángel Díaz Herrero Cheese Factory, in Tielve, which has matured for nine months in the Los Mazos cave, located in the Picos de Europa, at an altitude of 1,430 meters.

The €37,500 price tag has allowed this cheese to break a world record. It has already begun to be tasted at La Montera Picona de Ramón, located in Gijón, and at Carlos Tartiere/Couzapín, La Cuenca, and Lo de Viole, the three establishments in the Spanish capital that offer the best and most varied specialties of Asturian cuisine.

The directors of these four temples of fine Asturian cuisine proclaimed the consolidation of this gastronomic union between Asturias and Madrid around one of the most emblematic products of Asturian cuisine.

The presentation of this exceptional piece to journalists and gastronomic influencers, held at the Couzapín cider house, allowed us to discover the qualities of the winning cheese, as well as its possibilities within traditional and contemporary cuisine.

Promote Cabrales

Beyond the impressive sum achieved at the auction, all the representatives of the establishments agreed on the true purpose of this initiative: to promote Cabrales cheese and recognize the efforts of the people who make each wheel possible. Behind this product are shepherds who roam the mountains, farmers who care for their animals every day of the year, and producers who keep alive knowledge passed down through generations. Therefore, highlighting the value of Cabrales also means supporting those who have chosen to remain in the land of their birth, generating activity and opportunities in rural areas, and helping to ensure that the villages of the Picos de Europa continue to thrive. The impact achieved by this cheese allows us to focus attention on those families who, through their daily work, preserve the landscape, culture, and gastronomic identity of Asturias.

Official presentation

Cabrales croquettes with apple compote; Cabrales escalopes in bite-sized format, Cabrales cachopines and a small glass of black pudding with Cabrales foam, toasted apple with cinnamon, pine nuts and piparras jam, were the dishes tasted by the twenty guests at the event, which was presented and hosted by Nacho Sandoval, who was the general coordinator of the Cabrales Cheese Foundation.

Of course, there was a bagpiper to liven up the tasting. And José Luis Álvarez Almeida, president of the Spanish Hospitality Association, was also present, highlighting Madrid's role as a showcase for Asturian cheese excellence, and noting "the hospitality industry's ability to unite regions, create alliances, and take an exceptional product beyond its place of origin."

The tradition of this auction, and especially the participation of Madrid establishments, is linked in some way to the old custom of auctioning the Campanu, the first salmon of the season, caught in one of the Asturian rivers as soon as the fishing season opens. The pioneer in paying several thousand euros for this first fish to enjoy it in his Madrid restaurant with his best customers and numerous friends was Nicolás Parrondo from Luarca, who passed away this year. He had helped make the exquisite Asturian cuisine synonymous with both quality and quantity for Madrid natives, visitors, and residents from other parts of the country.