Idiazabal (also known as Idiazabel / Queso Idiazabal La Vasco Navarra) is a traditional, farmhouse, hard cheese made from raw milk of Latxa or Carranza sheep in the Basque and Navarra regions of northern Spain. Named after the village of Idiazabal, the cheese received Spanish D.O. (Denominacion de Origen) in 1987. In summer, the sheep migrate to higher pastures to graze on the blossoming, new grass. During this time, the artisanal cheese makers milk the sheep, make the cheese and leave it in the rafters to mature for a minimum ripening of 2 months. At the end of summer when the cheese makers return back to the lowlands with their sheep, the cheese has ripened and is ready for sale.Idiazabal is produced in the shape of a cylinder, with a smooth and hard natural rind that is pale yellow to amber in colour. The cheese has a compact texture, with a few pinprick holes. It is dry, but not crumbly, and feels pleasantly oily in the mouth. The rind carries the marks of the wooden moulds in which it was drained. The characteristic, smoky flavour is the result of the cheeses having been stored near the fireplaces. There were no chimneys in the simple mountain huts, so the cheeses absorbed the sweet, aromatic smoke. The taste of the cheese is reminiscent of burnt caramel and bacon. It pairs well with red wine and cider.PDO Idiazabal smoked cheese has won a Super Gold medal at the 2014 World Cheese Awards. It is declared as one of the world's 62 best cheeses. It is also available in natural flavour.

Idiazábal

Quesos la Vasco Navarra S.A.

Roncal is a Spanish cheese made in the Roncal Valley, north Navarre in the Basque territory near the border of France.  It is protected by the Protected designation of origin (PDO) as per which the cheese should be made only between the months from December to July from raw sheep milk of Rasa and Lacha breed.
Made from whole milk, Roncal is a wheel-shaped cheese that is covered with a hard, natural rind dotted by velvety-smooth layer of blue-gray mould. This greenish moldy surface is occasionally covered in olive oil. Inside, the ivory white to pale yellow paste is firm, elastic and slightly grainy, with small, irregular holes. As Roncal ages, the beige interior turns to amber and becomes increasingly tangy. It has a sweet, herbaceous flavour, thanks to the natural pastures of wild grasses, herbs and flowers on which the sheep graze. An optimal aged Roncal leaves a sharp, slightly spicy and buttery flavour on the palate that goes well with a Sauvignon Blanc or a Tempranillo.

Quesos la Vasco Navarra S.A.

Idiazábal

Roncal

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