MALONE, WIS. – Specialty goat cheese maker LaClare Creamery earned a pair of first-place awards at the 2023 American Cheese Society Judging & Competition.

LaClare won the fresh goat cheese with sweet predominant flavor category with its Fig & Honey Goat Cheese, while its Chipotle Honey Goat Cheese received the top distinction in the fresh goat cheese with savory predominant flavor category.

The creamery describes its Fig & Honey Goat Cheese as a blend of natural sweetness and creamy, locally sourced goat cheese. It said the Chipotle Honey Goat Cheese features the same sweet honey with some subtle heat through the use of chipotle peppers.

“The entire LaClare Creamery team is thrilled to see this honor bestowed upon both our Fig & Honey Goat Cheese and Chipotle Honey Goat Cheese,” said Patrick Considine, national sales director for the company. “Just back in March, our Fig & Honey Goat Cheese received first place at the 21st biennial US Championship Cheese Contest, so seeing that our cheeses continue to get recognized as best-in-class across the dairy community affirms the value of our team’s hard work and dedication to fresh, clean flavors.”

Per the American Cheese Society, its annual awards go to cheeses and cultured dairy products that achieve technical excellence in flavor, aroma, texture and appearance. Organizers said this year’s competition included 1,454 entries among 120 categories.

A complete list of winners from the 2023 American Cheese Society Judging & Competition can be accessed online at the organization’s website.