Golden Spanish Heritage or the best cheeses

Spain produces over 100 different types of cheese and each area offers its own specialty from fresh to mature delicacies.

One of the main characteristics is the type of milk used in production, which varies from region to region, production time, climate and tradition. Spanish cheese is made from cow, sheep or goat's milk sometimes even from a mixture of all three.

Generally, cows' milk cheese is located to the north, along the Cantabrian coast, from Galicia to the Basque Country and along the northern Cantabric Mountain Range and the Pyrenees. Sheep's milk cheeses are located in the inland, from the north, in Cantabria and the Basque Country, to Castilla-Leon, Castilla La Mancha, Aragon and Extremadura. Finally goat's milk cheeses are mostly along the Mediterranean coast, from Catalonia to Andalusia.

In Canary and Balearic islands, we mostly find goat's cheese and mixed milk cheeses. Mixed milk cheeses are generally produced all over the country, with milk prevalent in the region. The production of high-quality cheeses is very much appreciated in Spain, as there are currently 13 areas with designation of origin in Spain.

In Spain, cheese does not really spoil it either alone or with bread, like tapas or as a dessert. Due to different climatic and geographic conditions and cultures, each region of Spain can produce several different varieties of cheese. Each cheese has its unique properties that affect the end product such as the type of milk (sheep, goat, cow or mixture), the manufacturing process, history or tradition, and the aging or curing process.

In Spain, you are never far from good cheese, it is available on farmer markets, bigger supermarkets and, of course, in specialized stores. Small delicatessens are a great place to buy cheeses, as traders are usually better prepared to help with additional information on the varieties and flavors you can find in the cheeses.