A CREAMERY co-op has found the perfect way to celebrate its 80th anniversary by launching a new cheese laced with an iconic Welsh whisky.

The new special-occasion cheese made by cheddar experts, South Caernarfon Creameries, is aged in the Llechwedd slate caverns at Blaenau Ffestiniog, before being infused with the award-winning Penderyn whisky.

The unveiling of the new luxury cheese with a kick at the Royal Welsh Show is part of an exciting re-brand of the much-loved range of Dragon cheeses made by SCC, which employs 130 staff at its base in Chwilog on the Ll?n Peninsula.

New packaging for the Dragon range of cheeses is also on show at SCC’s stand at the Royal Welsh, featuring brighter colours and a crisper, more modern version of the brand’s distinctive Welsh Dragon logo.

The fresh new design raises awareness of the high quality and provenance of Dragon cheese, which is made using milk sourced 100 per cent from its Welsh farming members, and every block can be traced back to the cow.

SCC managing director Alan Wyn Jones, said: “The new celebratory cheese is made with Dragon’s premium Llechwedd slate caverns cheddar, suffused with Penderyn’s Madeira Finish whisky, which is aged in ex-bourbon barrels finished in madeira wine casks. We chose Penderyn’s madeira finish as it has a slightly sweeter flavour which really complements the Llechwedd aged cheese.”

As with all of SCC’s cheeses, it is first made at the co-operative’s base near Pwllheli, where it is still salted by hand using traditional methods.

Once aged 11 months, it is taken to the depths of the Llechwedd slate caverns in Blaenau Ffestiniog, where it is matured for a further three months.

Maturing cheese in slate caverns is a method which has been used in France for hundreds of years, to achieve a firmer body and depth of flavour with rich savoury notes.

See this week’s north editions, in shops and online on Thursday