Manchego and Spanish Cheese: The Buyer's Guide

What makes real Manchego, the other Spanish cheeses worth knowing, the best ones to buy in the US and how to build a Spanish cheese board.

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Manchego is Spain’s most famous cheese — and the most imitated. Beyond it there’s a whole map: smoky Basque sheep’s cheese, spoonable Extremadura tortas, cave-aged blues from Asturias. This page is the short version of the series.

Real Manchego in one minute

Only cheese made in La Mancha from the milk of Manchega sheep can be called Queso Manchego. Its age changes everything: young and buttery at 3 months, nutty and crumbly at 12. → Manchego explained

Beyond Manchego

Idiazábal, Mahón, Cabrales, Torta del Casar, Tetilla… → Spanish cheeses you should know

What to buy

Our top picks

• Best first Manchego

  PDO Queso Manchego

  Manchego D.O.P. duo: 3-month semi-cured + 12-month aged (1 lb) with picos

  First Manchego, tasting at home

  Check price on Amazon

• Best for a cheese board

  PDO Queso Manchego

  Manchego D.O.P. 12 months aged, 2 wedges (1 lb total)

  Cheese boards, wine nights

  Check price on Amazon

• Best gift

  Assorted Spanish cheeses

  igourmet Spanish Cheese Tasting Gift Box (Manchego, Mahón, Idiazábal, Murcia al Vino + membrillo)

  Gifts, holidays

  Check price on Amazon

→ The best Spanish cheeses to buy in the US

Serve it like in Spain

Room temperature, thin triangles, quince paste on the side. → How to build a Spanish cheese board

Manchego or Parmesan?

They’re not interchangeable. → Manchego vs Pecorino vs Parmesan

→ The full chart: what to drink with jamón, Manchego and conservas

→ All our wine guides: Spanish wine and sherry