A wheel of parmigiano reggiano has been celebrated as “an authentic jewel of nature” after setting a longevity record for parmesan cheese. The still-edible 36kg wheel was one of the last made in 1998 by Romano and Silvia Camorani at their dairy in Poviglio, a small town near Parma in Italy’s northern Emilia-Romagna region.

The parmesan, estimated to be worth more than €20,000 (£17,000), was finally opened and sampled on Sunday at the age of 27 years and three months, beating the previous record of 21 years. “The aroma and taste were out of this world,” said Romano Camorani, adding that he still “lovingly” looked after the wheel as it aged, despite no longer making cheese.