Fiore Sardo 
Fiore Sardo is a hard sheep's milk cheese from Sardinia, made with raw milk and lamb's rennet. Light smoking and months of cellar aging give it a smoky aroma and a sharp, herbaceous flavor that works grated or sliced.
Key Facts
| Country of Origin | Italy |
| Specific Origin | Sardinia |
| Protection | PDO (1996), DOP (1996) |
| Milk Type | Sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized |
| Rind | Lightly smoked |
| Texture | Hard |
| Flavor | Spicy, herbaceous |
| Aroma | Smoky aroma |
| Colors | Straw yellow to dark brown |
| Forms | Approximately 7–9 inches tall |
| Age | 4 months to longer |
| Rennet Type | Lamb's rennet |
| Also Known As | Pecorino Sardo, Fiore Sardo DOP, Pecorino Sardo DOP |
What is Fiore Sardo Cheese?
Fiore Sardo comes from Sardinia, Italy, and its name translates as "Sardinian flower." The name may point to the floral pattern carved into the old wooden molds, or to the cardoon flowers once used to curdle the milk. Shepherds made it for their own households long before it reached shops.
It is made from unpasteurized sheep's milk set with lamb's rennet. Young wheels are lightly smoked, then left to age in cool Sardinian cellars for four months or more.
The paste is hard. Color runs from straw yellow through to dark brown at the rind, and the smoke shows up in the smell before the first bite. The flavor is spicy and herbaceous, carrying the wild herbs and brush the sheep grazed on.
Younger wheels hold up as a table cheese. Older ones grate over pasta and soups, and the cheese has enough weight for full-bodied southern Italian reds.
How Does Fiore Sardo Cheese Compare?
The most relevant cheeses to compare Fiore Sardo against.
