Idiazabal

Rennet: Animal

Milk: Raw Sheep

Cheese: Type 2 Pyrenees Sheep

Related: Roncal, Zamorano, Fiore Sardo, Manchego

Origin: Made ay Izar-Gatza in Navarre, Spain

Age: 4-12 months

Story: Idiazabal deviates from Roncal (the mother of all Spanish sheep cheese.) somewhere in the mist shrouded shoals of time. When the sheepherds were in the high pasturage they made cheese, but couldn’t bring it back to their caves at home. Instead they'd be forced to store it in their cramped huts, where their cooking fires would smoke the cheese. Now they make Idiazabal year round in larger facilities. Our brand is smoked over hickory and cherry wood. The smoke flavor is pleasant, and definately not overwhelmig. The sheepy, lanolin notes still shine through. By the way, it's pronounced id-ee-ah-zah-ball or id-ee-atha-ball, depending in how Spanish/pretencious you are.

Pairings: Dark Lagers, Southwestern French Reds, Zynfandel, Bandol.

1/4 LB 1/3 LB 1/2 LB 2/3 LB 3/4 LB 1 LB 2 LB 3 LB 4 LB 5 LB $18.00 per pound