What Basque cheese made from sheep's milk is traditionally smoked?

The Basque sheep’s-milk cheese described is Idiazabal, a pressed cheese associated with the Basque Country and Navarre.

Idiazabal is traditionally made from whole, usually unpasteurized milk from Latxa or Carranzana sheep. It takes its name from Idiazabal, a town in Gipuzkoa, rather than from a generic Basque word for cheese. The finished cheese has a firm texture, a dark inedible rind, and a nutty, buttery flavor that becomes sharper and drier with longer aging.

Smoking is an important traditional option, but it is not required for every Idiazabal. The denomination’s rules permit external smoking, commonly with beech, birch, cherry, or white pine. As a result, some wheels have a pronounced smoky aroma and brownish rind, while unsmoked versions remain yellow-beige and can still have a mildly smoky impression.

The cheese received Denomination of Origin protection in 1987. It is often served with quince paste, and aged examples may be grated. The key clues are the Basque origin and sheep’s milk; Tetilla, Mahón, and Manchego are different Spanish cheeses.