Idiazabal AOP - Spain - (150g - 175g)

This traditional cheese originates from the Basque mountains, where shepherds spend the summer in the high-altitude pastures before returning in the fall with their cheeses. Stored during this long period in the framework of the shepherds' chalets, the cheese takes on a wood-smoked flavor. Idiazabal cheese has been a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) since 1987 and won the World Cheese Awards in 2014 and 2015. It is produced in the Basque Country in Navarre. It is made entirely from natural raw milk and requires a minimum of 2 months of maturation. Hard and resistant, with tiny holes, it has a copper-colored rind. FLAVOR: Idiazabal is smoked with beech wood, which gives a slight additional taste to the caramelized sweetness typical of sheep's milk. HOW TO TASTE IT: Try it in your favorite recipes, accompanied by a cider, a Spanish red wine or a tannic and powerful wine like a Syrah.