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Mahón-Menorca Cheese vs Queso Manchego
Mahón-Menorca Cheese
Queso Manchego
In this article, we'll explore the answers to the most common questions about Mahón-Menorca Cheese and Queso Manchego, including:
- "What is the difference between Mahón-Menorca Cheese and Queso Manchego?"
- "Is Mahón-Menorca Cheese and Queso Manchego the same?"
- "How does Mahón-Menorca Cheese compare to Queso Manchego cheese?"
- "How does the taste of Mahón-Menorca Cheese compare to Queso Manchego?"
- "Is Mahón-Menorca Cheese or Queso Manchego better?"
Mahón-Menorca Cheese Overview
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.
Queso Manchego Overview
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.
Comparing the Two Cheeses
Country of Origin
Mahón-Menorca Cheese comes from Spain. Queso Manchego originated from Spain.
Certification
Many cheeses have some kind of protected status that makes it so they can only be produced in a certain manner and location. Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a PDO (1996), PDO (1985). Queso Manchego has a PDO (1996).
Milk Type and Treatment
Mahón-Menorca Cheese is made with cow or sheep milk that is typically raw. Queso Manchego is made with sheep milk that is typically raw or pasteurized.
Composition and Texture
Mahón-Menorca's texture can be described as "firm". Queso Manchego's texture can be described as "compact".
Taste and Aroma
Mahón-Menorca Cheese has a salty and spicy taste. Mahón-Menorca's aroma can be described as "lactic, buttery". Queso Manchego has a slightly acidic taste.
Appearance and Aging
Mahón-Menorca Cheese's appearance is colored ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray , is available in parallelepiped shape and is aged tender: 21-60 days, semi-cured: 2-5 months, vintage: >5 months . Queso Manchego has a color of white to yellowish ivory , comes in cylindrical with flat faces and has an aging period of fresco (2 weeks), semi-curado (3 weeks to 4 months), curado (3-6 months), viejo or anejo (1 year) .
Rind and Rennet Type
Mahón-Menorca Cheese's rind is described as characteristic orangish and uses vegetable (cynara cardunculus) rennet. Queso Manchego's rind is described as pleita and flor imprints , with animal rennet.
Ranking
Mahón-Menorca is ranked #223 out of 996 types based on community views. Queso Manchego is ranked #28 out of 996 types based on community views.
Pairing Comparison
| Mahón-Menorca | Queso Manchego | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Pairings | No pairings listed. | Albariño, Almonds, Cava, Chorizo, Dried Figs, Dried Fruit, Tequila |
| Other Good Pairings | No additional pairings listed. | Apples, Apricot, Asian Pear, Cabernet Sauvignon, Crackers, Dirty Martini, Fig Jam, Grapes, Green Apple, Grüner Veltliner, Hard Cider, Honey, Honeycomb, Madeira, Malbec, Pear, Port, Scotch |
For more details, check the full pairing guides on the Mahón-Menorca and Queso Manchego pages.
Side-by-Side Comparison Table
| Mahón-Menorca Cheese | Queso Manchego | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | Spain | Spain |
| Specific Origin | Menorca, Balearic Islands | La Mancha Region |
| Certification | PDO (1996), PDO (1985) | PDO (1996) |
| Milk Type | Friesian, Menorcan, Brown Alpine cow’s milk, some ewe’s milk (max 5%) | Sheep's milk |
| Milk Treatment | Raw or any authorized preservation technology | Raw or pasteurized |
| Rind | Characteristic orangish | Pleita and flor imprints |
| Texture | Firm | Compact |
| Taste | Salty and spicy | Slightly acidic |
| Aroma | Lactic, buttery | Not Specified |
| Colors | Ivory-yellow to orangey or brownish gray | White to yellowish ivory |
| Forms | Parallelepiped shape | Cylindrical with flat faces |
| Age | Tender: 21-60 days, Semi-cured: 2-5 months, Vintage: >5 months | Fresco (2 weeks), Semi-curado (3 weeks to 4 months), Curado (3-6 months), Viejo or Anejo (1 year) |
| Rennet Type | Vegetable (Cynara cardunculus) | Animal rennet |
Which One Should You Choose?
If you prefer a firm cheese, go for Mahón-Menorca. But if you enjoy a compact consistency, Queso Manchego might be the better pick. Mahón-Menorca has a salty and spicy taste, making it great for various dishes. Meanwhile, Queso Manchego offers a slightly acidic profile, ideal for different meals.
