If you could spy on Spain from above and zoom in on the grand 'Picos De Europa' you would find lots of cheeses being produced. One of these such cheeses is made by two brothers, Tomas and Javier. The Alonso brothers produce Valdéon. In my opinion (not that it counts for anything!), Valdéon is without a shadow of a doubt on the medal table when I am selecting blue cheese. The climate on the Leon side of the Picos De Europa is milder than that of Picón and the resulting effect on the creation of this cheese is fantastic. Due to the fact the climate is less humid the blue mold is less encompassing and so the flavour is less intense as other blues. This does not compromise flavour at all. Predominantly a cow's milk cheese, it has everything. It's spicy. It has the right amount of salt. It looks great on a cheese board. And until recently it was definitely the most aesthetic blue cheese. Unfortunately the rind is no longer wrapped in sycamore leaves which just takes a notch off its crown. Overall though, it's a taste sensation! For an added bonus it tastes awesome with cider.
Cheese-o-meter rating: 9/10
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