‘Brutal on the nose’: Shoppers warned about smelly Minger cheese on Asda’s shelves this Christmas
A cheese that’s been dubbed “brutal on the nose” by its own creator is hitting Asda shelves this Christmas.
The Minger, an aptly named cheese produced by Highland Fine Cheeses, is stinking up 54 Asda shelves in Britain this festive period.
Cheesemaker Rory Stone, who created the pungent dairy product in 2017, warns potential buyers that its odour “dominates the room”.
“It smells like something’s gone badly,” he tells Sky News.
“People put it in their car, go shopping for half an hour and then don’t want to get back in.
“For some people, it’s just too much; it’s too smelly and they don’t want it in the house.”
While the cheesemaker acknowledges there’s no objective way to know if the Minger is the smelliest cheese ever made, he thinks it’s a real possibility.
Cheesemaker Rory Stone
It may smell like things have gone wrong, but for Rory and his team of cheesemakers, it’s quite the opposite.
“The smell is very intentional,” Rory says.
“I’ve always been a fan of loud, smelly cheeses, and the French have always been great at producing them, so we’re basically copying them!
“But we decided to go with the name ‘Minger’ instead of something fancy. Some other big supermarkets loved the product but wanted us to change the name.
“We said ‘no’. It’s a minger – it’s minging.”
Rory says the orange annatto washed rind, marketed by his company Highland Fine Cheeses as “a pong on the nose, pure pleasure on the palate”, tastes far better than it smells.
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“The smell doesn’t dominate the flavour,” he explains.
“It’s brutal on the nose but it’s actually got a gentle taste. People are much more adventurous with what they eat these days. They want to experience different things with more flavour.”
The Minger has been in delis and farmshops in the north of Scotland, where Highland Fine Cheeses is based, for several years now.
Rory says that’s despite the fact that those stocking it were largely concerned about how well the Minger’s packaging would conceal its “simply bad” stench.
For shoppers who might be dreading going down Asda’s dairy isle, Rory has offered some marginally comforting words.
“It’s well sealed. So if you’re just passing it in stores, you won’t get the full effect,” he says.
“But if you take it home and put it in the fridge, within half an hour it’ll take over the room.”
The Minger is one of three Highland Fine Cheeses products that is now on sale at Asda, along with its Fat Cow and Blue Murder cheeses.
A woman who was stabbed to death in north London has been named by police – as a man was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Pamela Munro, 45, was found with a stab wound and died at the scene in Ayley Croft, Enfield, on Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police said.
A 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder on Monday and is in custody, the force added.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: “Investigating officers have worked relentlessly across the weekend to investigate the circumstances around Pamela’s death.
“We continue to support her family who are understandably devastated.”
Police at the scene at Ayley Croft in Enfield
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The Met Police has asked anyone with information or who was driving through Ayley Court between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday and may have dashcam footage to contact the force.
A “British man” has died after being beaten and set on fire by a mob in Ecuador, according to reports by media in the South American country.
According to reports, the man – who has not been officially identified – had been detained by police after being accused of being involved in a fatal shooting.
Ecuadorian news outlet Ecuavisa reported that the man had been taken to a police station Playas del Cuyabeno, a remote village in the Amazon rainforest.
While there, a group broke into the station and took the man away. He was then set on fire in the street, it is reported, and died from his burns.
The incident reportedly happened in the Playas del Cuyabeno area of Sucumbios province
Another local report, from EXTRA.ec, said that specialist police units had been slow to arrive due to the geographical conditions of the area – which is accessible by river.
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According to reports, police officers at the station apparently decided they could not intervene when the mob arrived out of concerns for their own safety.
It is understood the UK Foreign Office is following up reports about the incident and working with local authorities to confirm the details.
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