Dairy
Stinking Bishop
Stinking Bishop is a washed-rind cow’s-milk cheese from Gloucestershire, washed during ripening in perry made from the Stinking Bishop pear. The rind is sticky and orange-pink; the paste is soft, rich, and pungent, with meaty, fruity, and barnyard aromas that are stronger than the relatively mild, creamy flavour on the palate. It is sold as a specialty table cheese, often in small wooden boxes, and is brought to room temperature before serving. Limited farmhouse production keeps it a cult British washed-rind rather than a mass commodity.
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Characteristics
Preparations
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History
Charles Martell revived traditional Gloucestershire cheese making and later developed the washed-rind style.
Washing with Stinking Bishop perry defined the cheese’s name, rind character, and strong aroma.
Popular culture references sharply increased demand for Stinking Bishop beyond specialty shops.
Production remained small-scale at Dymock while export and UK retail specialty listings grew.
The cheese stayed a flagship British washed-rind with protected farmhouse identity and perry wash.