A drum of hard cheese made with cow's milk, a Cheshire cheese. It has a white or orange paste coloured with annatto seeds and a natural bandaged rind, bound with calico. Handmade at Hawkstone Abbey Farm in Shropshire, this cheese is made with raw, whole milk from Friesian cows with a mixture of morning and evening milking. The curds are cooked and pressed and it is available made with vegetarian rennet in which form it is suitable for vegetarians. It may be found weighing 1.25 kg, 2.3 kg, 9 kg or 28 kg (62 lb). An oak-smoked version is also available. Affinage is from 6 weeks to 10 months. Depending on the size. A Gold Medal winner at British Cheese Awards 1997.