Spanish Cabrales Blue Cheese sets new Guinness World Record with astounding $32,000 price

In a surprising turn of events at a local cheese festival, a Spanish Cabrales blue cheese has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by commanding an astonishing price of over $32,000 (Rs 26.48 lakh). Weighing in at 2.17 kg, this dairy delight has secured a new Guinness World Record for the highest price ever paid for cheese.

Guillermo Pendás, the creator of this remarkable cheese from the family factory in Los Puertos, expressed his astonishment, stating, "We knew we had a good cheese but also that it is very difficult to win." Pendás shared these thoughts with the Spanish news agency Efe, as reported by the Times of London.

This celebrated cheese, which encapsulates the essence of the Asturias mountain caves in Northern Spain, recently went up for auction, following its prestigious title as the best Cabrales of the year at the renowned Las Arenas’ 51st annual cheese competition.


The proud owner of this record-breaking cheese is Iván Suárez, who also acquired the previous Guinness World Record-setting Cabrales cheese in 2019 for €20,500 (Rs 18.42 lakh). Suárez runs the El Llagar de Colloto restaurant near Oviedo.

The journey of crafting this exceptional cheese begins with carefully selected raw cow's milk, sometimes blended with milk from sheep and goats. After four months of meticulous aging within the mountainous enclaves of the Cabrales region, the cheese finds its maturation chamber in a cave located 4,593 feet above sea level, maintained at a steady 44.6F, for a minimum of eight months.

The transformation of this cheese takes place within a cave nestled in the small town of "Póo [high place] de Cabrales," a place so quaint that its streets remain unnamed.

Once the aging process is complete, this culinary masterpiece embarks on a descent from the mountain's peak to the nearby road, a journey that takes approximately an hour by foot. Its incredible journey culminates in a price range of $30-$35 for a little over two pounds, which is equivalent to the cost of a premium steak on the wholesale market.