Idiazabal Cheese, the Unpasteurized Sheep’s Milk Cheese from the Spanish Pyrenees.

Though it is a non-smoked cheese, some varieties are smoked which is allowed by the DOP only if does not affect the general stipulation for the production of Idiazabal Cheese. The crust is closed and smooth and its color goes from brown in its smoked variety to yellow-beige in its non smoked variety. The cheese texture is tight without air pockets. For Florence Fabricant, “[Idiazabal Cheese] has a pale interior and a firm, supple texture similar to provolone cheese.” The taste is robust and provocative, slightly acidic, and has the characteristic buttery touch of sheep milk cheeses. The smoked versions usually have a more pronounced aroma. Idiazabal is a small-medium size cheese with a weight between 2 and 4 lb.