Artisan cheesemakers, The Craigmyle Cheese Company, from rural Aberdeenshire are to showcase their new creation, Babbity Blue, made from unpasteurised cows' milk, at this years the Speciality and Fine Food Fair which takes place in Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange on the 13th and 14th of May.

The young business which operates from a tiny creamery in Royal Deeside already produces three award winning cheeses including the curiously named Wummle (Wee Wummle and Muckle Wummle), a mould ripened variety compared to a Camembert; Clachnaben, a slightly crumbly traditional farmhouse style cheese and Morven, a waxed, mild cheese with a springy texture and buttery taste. Husband and wife team, Liz and Neil Marchant also added Learney to their range earlier this year, a naturally mould ripened cheese which is matured for three months.

"We felt we needed a blue to complete our range as customers were always asking if we made a blue." Said Liz. "We have been experimenting to produce a moist blue with a strong flavour and have road tested some tasters on our regular customers with very positive results. As for the name, well, everyone is intrigued by Wummle which is actually a Scots word meaning 'to turn' and turning is an important part of the cheesemaking and maturing process for this cheese. Babbity is also a Scottish word, Babbity Bowster is the last dance at a ball and seeing as cheese is often the last thing one eats at dinner, we thought it was fitting."

The Craigmyle Cheese Company was started in late 2005 and won several accolades in its first year pf production including a British Cheese medal and the Scottish Food and Drink Excellence Award. The company supplies delicatessens, farm shops and restaurants including the prestigious Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire. The small business is committed to supplying independents and has turned down advances from three major supermarkets.