Wheel of Spanish Cheese Sells for $32K at Auction, Breaks Record

A wheel of Spanish blue cheese has officially become the world's most expensive cheese, selling for over $32,000 at an auction.

Weighing in at 2.2 kg (just under 5 lbs), the wheel of Cabrales blue cheese from northern Spain was sold for €30,000 ($32,771.55) during a local cheese festival in the Principality of Asturias.

The record-breaking cheese was produced by the Los Puertos factory. Rosa Vada, the owner of Los Puertos, revealed that the cheese matured for "a minimum of eight months" in a cave situated at an altitude of 1,400 meters (4,593 feet) and at a temperature of 7°C (44.6°F), according to the Independent.

Iván Suárez, the owner of the restaurant El Llagar de Colloto in Asturias, was the winning bidder. Suárez stated that his "passion for the land" and his desire to "recognize the work of the cheesemakers" motivated him to place the record-setting bid.

The previous Guinness World Record for the most expensive cheese was €20,500 ($22,393.18), set in 2019. Interestingly, that record was also set by a cheese purchased by Suárez.