Cow's Milk Cheeses is a subcategory focused on cheeses made from cow's milk, represented above all by the protected Mahón from the island of Menorca (Quesos Binillubet, Cooperativa Insular Ganadera) and Galician Tetilla. The range is supplemented by the renowned blue-veined Cabrales, another blue cheese, Savel from Airas Moniz, smoked Leňa afinado and the hard grating cheese Galmesán from Quesería Cultivo. Cow's milk cheeses usually have a milder and milkier flavour than sheep's milk or goat's milk cheeses, with the exception of the pronounced blue-veined specialities.
How to find your way around this category
Mahón is a protected cheese from the island of Menorca with a slightly sour, salty flavour, available both semicurado (milder) and curado (more pronounced). Tetilla is a Galician cheese of characteristic conical shape with a mild, buttery flavour. Cabrales and Savel are blue-veined cheeses with a pronounced, pungent flavour for lovers of stronger tastes. Galmesán is a hard aged cheese suitable for grating, similarly to Italian Parmesan.
For milder flavours choose Tetilla or Mahón semicurado, and to taste more pronounced cheeses reach for Cabrales or Savel.
Cow's milk cheeses - an overview
Cheese
Region
Characteristics
Mahón
Menorca
Slightly sour, salty flavour, semicurado or curado
Tetilla
Galicia
Mild, buttery, characteristic conical shape
Cabrales
Asturias
Blue-veined, very pronounced and pungent
Savel
Galicia
Blue mould, pronounced flavour
Galmesán
-
Hard, aged, suitable for grating
You will always find the specific grade of ageing and the weight in the product detail.
Cabrales - the most pronounced cheese in Spain
Cabrales from the mountains of Asturias is among the strongest and most pronounced blue-veined cheeses in the world, comparable with cheeses such as Roquefort or Stilton. It is traditionally made from a mixture of cow's, sheep's and goat's milk and ages in limestone caves, where the blue mould forms naturally. The resulting flavour is intense, pungent and long-lasting.
Serve Cabrales and Savel in small quantities as part of a cheese board - their intense flavour easily overpowers the other cheeses.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best-known cow's milk cheese from Spain?
Among the best known are Mahón from the island of Menorca and Tetilla from Galicia, both with a protected designation of origin.
Is Cabrales really such a strong cheese?
Yes, Cabrales is among the most pronounced blue-veined cheeses in the world - its intense, pungent flavour places it alongside cheeses such as Roquefort.
What is the difference between Mahón semicurado and curado?
Semicurado ages for a shorter time and has a milder, milkier flavour, while curado ages longer and is more pronounced and saltier.
What is Galmesán good for?
Galmesán is a hard aged cheese suitable for grating into hot dishes, pasta or salads, similarly to Italian Parmesan.
Why does Tetilla have its characteristic shape?
The conical shape is a traditional mark of the Galician cheese Tetilla and is part of its protected designation of origin along with its mild, buttery flavour.
The intensity of the flavour - from mild Tetilla to pungent Cabrales. Also: serve blue-veined cheeses in smaller quantities.
What we base this on
On the tradition of making Mahón, Tetilla and Cabrales and on information from the producers Quesos Binillubet and Quesería Cultivo. Also: we verify the specific region and ageing time on the individual products.
Where the limits are
This is a natural product, and the flavour and consistency may vary slightly from batch to batch. Also: you will find current information in the product detail.
What this category does not cover
Neither sheep's milk nor goat's milk cheeses. Also: you will find those in the corresponding subcategories.