COUNTRY
Spain
Cheeses From Spain
Afuega'l Pitu
Afuega'l Pitu is among the oldest Spanish cheeses, originating from Asturias. It is known for its striking red or orange rind and a spicy, tangy flavor profile. This cheese can be made from either pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's milk and has a unique, crumbly texture that sharpens as it ages.
Arzúa-Ulloa
From the lush pastures of Galicia, Spain, Arzúa-Ulloa is crafted from the milk of local cows. This soft, creamy cheese has a mild, slightly salty taste and a smooth, supple texture, making it excellent for melting. It is often used in traditional Spanish cooking and pairs beautifully with fruity red wines.
Cabrales
Cabrales is a strong, pungent blue cheese from the Asturias region in northern Spain. It is traditionally made from a mixture of raw cow's, goat’s, and sheep's milk that is aged in natural limestone caves, facilitating the development of its intense flavor and blue veining. Cabrales is known for its deep, spicy earthiness and can be quite sharp, making it a favorite among blue cheese aficionados.
Cebreiro
From Galicia, Cebreiro is a traditional Spanish cheese made from cow's milk. It has a unique, conical shape and a soft, creamy texture similar to cottage cheese but firmer. Cebreiro has a mild, slightly lemony flavor, making it a versatile cheese for both savory and sweet dishes.
Gamonedo
Gamonedo is a blue cheese from the Asturias region in northern Spain. It is unique due to its dual-smoking and blue-mold maturation process, giving it a distinct smoky flavor with spicy blue veins. The cheese is typically aged for several months in natural caves, which enhances its complex flavor profile.
Garrotxa
Garrotxa is a traditional Catalan goat cheese from the Garrotxa area in northeastern Spain. It has a firm texture and a creamy, nutty flavor with a hint of earthiness. The cheese features a distinctive grey or blue mold on its rind, which helps to protect and enhance its flavor during the aging process, which typically lasts for two to three months.
Iberico
Iberico is a Spanish cheese made from a blend of cow's, sheep's, and goat's milk. It has a firm and slightly oily texture and a complex flavor that combines the sharpness of sheep’s milk with the smoothness of cow’s milk and the tang of goat’s milk. Iberico is often used in tapas and pairs well with fruity wines.
Idiazabal
Idiazabal is a traditional Spanish cheese from the Basque Country, made from raw sheep's milk and often smoked over beechwood, giving it a distinctive, robust flavor. It has a slightly dry, but buttery texture, with a smoky, nutty taste. Idiazabal is often enjoyed on its own or used in cooking.
La Serena
La Serena is made from the milk of Merino sheep in the Extremadura region of Spain. This cheese is known for its soft, creamy texture and intense, slightly bitter flavor. It is often eaten young, when it can be scooped out with a spoon, and is typically served with honey or on toast.
Mahón-Menorca
Mahón-Menorca is a cow's milk cheese from the island of Menorca in the Balearic Islands. It has a square shape with rounded edges and is known for its orange rind and soft to hard texture depending on age. The flavor is slightly salty and tangy, with buttery notes in younger cheeses and a sharper taste in older ones.
Manchego
Manchego is a PDO-protected cheese made in the La Mancha region of Spain, exclusively from the milk of Manchega sheep. It has a firm and compact consistency and a buttery texture, with a distinctive flavor that is well-developed and tangy, often with a slight piquancy in older cheeses. Manchego is aged for a minimum of two months and up to two years, developing a deeper flavor and harder texture with time.
Monte Enebro
Monte Enebro is an artisanal goat cheese from Avila, Spain, created by cheesemaker Rafael Baez and his daughter Paloma. It has a distinctive ash-covered rind with a creamy, slightly acidic interior that features strong, tangy blue mold flavors developing towards the center of the cheese. Monte Enebro is highly regarded for its complex flavor profile and creamy texture.
Murcia
Murcia is a region in Spain known for producing a variety of goat's milk cheeses, notably Murcia al Vino, which is bathed in red wine during aging. This process imparts a distinctive flavor and color to the rind. The cheese itself is firm, creamy, and slightly sharp, popular for its unique wine-infused taste.
Palmero
Palmero is a cheese from La Palma in the Canary Islands, made from goat's milk. It features a firm texture and a rich, tangy flavor, often enhanced by smoking. Palmero is highly valued in Spanish cuisine for its distinctive taste and versatility, suitable for grating over dishes or enjoying as part of a cheese platter.
Roncal
Roncal is a hard, sheep's milk cheese from the Roncal Valley in the Navarre region of Spain. It has a firm texture and a rich, buttery flavor with nutty undertones. Aged for several months, Roncal develops a pronounced sharpness and a slightly granular texture, making it excellent for grating or enjoying on cheese boards.
Tetilla
Tetilla is a Galician cheese from Spain, named for its distinctive conical shape that resembles a breast (tetilla). It is made from cow's milk and has a smooth, creamy texture with a mild, slightly salty flavor. Tetilla is often served as a dessert cheese or melted over dishes like potatoes or bread.
Torta del Casar
Torta del Casar is a rich, creamy cheese from Extremadura in Spain, named after the town of Casar de Cáceres. It is made from sheep's milk and has a very creamy, almost liquid interior, with a strong, slightly bitter taste. It is traditionally eaten by slicing off the top and scooping out the inside.
Valdeon
Valdeon is a strong blue cheese wrapped in sycamore maple or chestnut leaves, from the Picos de Europa mountains in Spain. It is made from cow’s and/or goat’s milk and has a bold, piquant flavor with a creamy texture that melts beautifully in the mouth. Valdeon is less intense than Cabrales but still offers a significant depth of flavor.
Zamorano
Zamorano is a hard cheese from the Zamora province in Spain, made from sheep's milk. It resembles Manchego but is made using the milk of the Churra and Castellana sheep breeds. Zamorano has a rich, nutty flavor and a slightly crumbly texture, aged for a minimum of six months.