Isle of Mull

In 1982, Jeff and Chris Reade packed up their farm and family, and transported them the 500-odd miles from Somerset to Scotland. There, they settled in a derelict collection of buildings on the Isle of Mull, known as Scriob Ruadh. Fast-forward to today and those once-derelict buildings are home to an exceptional cheese, forged out of the challenging conditions of the island and the extraordinary resourcefulness of the Reades. During the summer the cows graze but with the notoriously damp Scottish climate the amount of time they can spend outdoors is limited. The quest for supplementary food led the Reades to the local distillery, Tobermory, which was facing the problem of disposing of fermented grain, one of the biggest by-products of distilling. It didn't take long for them to come to an arrangement, and that symbiotic relationship has continued ever since. The herd feeds on grass in summer and hay in winter but enjoys a supplement of fermented grain throughout the year, a unique addition which only adds to the cheese's deeply flavoursome complexity. Once set and moulded, the cheeses are kept in an underground cellar to mature for up to 18 months.

We journey up to Scriob Ruadh twice a year to taste and select Cheddar with the Reade family. Where possible, we choose cheeses with a firm, appealingly waxy texture, a rich, boozy flavour profile and a complex sweetness – though Isle of Mull Cheddar can also boast flavours that are savoury and brothy.