THERE’S no better taste than a melt in your mouth rack of lamb and Clare producers are making their mark in the taste stakes (pun intended).

Great Taste, the world’s most coveted food awards, celebrates the very best in food and drink.

Ennis based B. Molloy Master Butchers has been awarded a 2-star Great Taste award, which means judges dubbed it ‘above and beyond delicious’ for its Locally Reared Rack of Lamb.

They also achieved a 1-star Great Taste award, which means judges dubbed it ‘a food that delivers fantastic flavour’ for their Locally Reared Lamb Rump Steaks.

Commenting on the Rack of Lamb, the judges said the rack of lamb was “beautifully presented, perfectly trimmed and well butchered, the lamb has a delicate aroma and a fine gentle flavour, with moist sweet flesh, the texture is soft and melts in the mouth, incredibly creamy fat, tender and juicy with spot-on flavours. A cracking rack of lamb”.

Local Master Butchers, B. Molloy specialise in locally reared beef and lamb, rearing much of their beef on their Bord Bia Quality Assured farm in Quin and sourcing quality lamb from local farmers.

Delighted with the win, Derek commented: “the true winners were the local farmers we buy from and our customers who choose lamb each week. Lamb is a special meat cut with its own unique flavour, and this award recognises taste above all else. This award recognises the great flavour of our lamb here in Co. Clare, which is reared locally, processed locally and sold locally”.

Recognised as a stamp of excellence among consumers and retailers alike, Great Taste, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, values taste above all else, with no regard for branding or packaging. The panel of judges this year included; MasterChef 2018 champion, Kenny Tutt, chef and food writer, Elly Curshen, eco chef and food writer, Tom Hunt, author and chef, Zoe Adjonyoh, baker Tom Herbert, author and blogger, Izy Hossack, and baker and recipe writer, Martha Collison, as well as food buyers from Harrods, Selfridges and Sourced Market.