A wedge of dairy, a cheese, from northern Spain has officially become the world’s most expensive cheese ever sold at auction. A 2.3 kg block of cave-aged Cabrales fetched a whopping €36,000 (approximately Rs 36,20,340), setting a new Guinness World Record during a fiercely contested auction in Asturias.
The cheese, produced by the Ángel Díaz Herrero factory, became the world’s most expensive cheese ever sold at the prestigious regional cheese competition, the 52nd edition of the annual Certamen del Queso de Cabrales. Held in the town of Cabrales last year, the auction saw nine high-profile bidders from across Spain vie for the prized block.
Guinness World Records confirmed the sale as the highest price ever paid for cheese at a public auction, surpassing previous records set in 2019 (€20,500) and 2018 (€2,474.04). Remarkably, this marks the third time Cabrales cheese has earned the world record title.
Why is this cheese so expensive?
This year’s winner, the most expensive cheese, was matured for ten months inside the Los Mazos cave, situated nearly 1,500 metres above sea level. Made from cow’s milk, the cheese impressed a panel of judges who sampled entries from 15 regional producers before selecting the champion.
The bidding war began at €3,000, eventually concluding after 40 rapid-fire offers. The winning bid came from Iván Suárez, owner of the restaurant El Llagar de Colloto, who has now clinched the top spot in the auction for five years running. “It’s a great honour to continue this tradition,” Suárez said following his record-breaking purchase.
To put the figure in perspective, the same amount of money could buy a new convertible Mini Cooper or a luxury Swiss timepiece. Yet for Suárez and many others in Asturias, the value of tradition and artisanal excellence cannot be measured in simple monetary terms.
What is the Cabrales competition?
The Cabrales competition, now in its fifth decade, celebrates the region’s rich cheese-making heritage. Producers compete in two categories – individual and batch, with top honours awarded by a tasting jury. This year, Valfríu secured first place in the batch category for the third year in a row, while Ángel Díaz Herrero placed second. In the individual contest, Valfríu took second place and Maín placed third.
The Ángel Díaz Herrero cheese factory was established in the mountain village of Tielve three decades ago by its namesake founder, who is now retired. Today, the business is managed by his wife, Encarni Bada, who continues the family’s cheese-making legacy, producing approximately 10,000 kilograms of Cabrales annually.
The first-ever auction took place during the event’s 25th edition under a sealed bid format, with Madrid’s El Ñeru restaurant winning the cheese for 100,000 pesetas—roughly €600 today. Decades later, the tradition not only lives on, but continues to elevate regional craftsmanship to global acclaim.
