Soft-cheese manufacturer Sharpham Cheese has been awarded three stars in the Great Taste Awards, reputedly putting the firm in the top two per cent of the largest and most trusted food and drink awards on the planet.

The cheesemaker received the award for their Cremet, which is handcrafted from goat's milk and cow’s double cream. It reportedly achieved ‘exquisite’ and ‘extraordinary’ in the judges’ blind taste tests.

Described as a “decadent soft mould ripened cheese” by the firm, Cremet has a “creamy, mousse like texture when young, deepening to a full, rich flavour with earthy undertones when ripe”.

To give an idea of the firm’s achievement, only 248 received the coveted rating of three stars out of a total of 14,195 entrants.

The top rated products, including Sharpham Cremet, will now go on to be judged in the prestigious Great Taste Golden Forks awards. The Golden Forks and Supreme Champion will be announced at the ceremony and tasting on September 11.

The cheese has already won significant awards, including Best Cheese Award and British Product of the Year at the Great British Food Awards.

The cheese category was judged by acclaimed chef Marcus Wareing who chose Sharpham Cremet as the winner. All winning products went on to be judged by a panel of tasters at Partridges, who selected Cremet as the overall product of the year.

Greg Parsons, co-owner of Sharpham Cheese, said: “Britain is renowned world-wide for producing some of the highest standard cheeses, so we’re thrilled to see Cremet recognised as one of the nation’s favourites.

“The awards are testament to the hard work that goes into our high quality products, from the farmers who supply our milk to the drivers who deliver it and everyone in between. Great Taste Awards are revered for their experienced and knowledgeable judges, so the award with such complimentary feedback is high praise indeed.”