Payoyo cheese

Payoyo cheese is a sheep and goat milk cheese made in Villaluenga del Rosario, in the Sierra de Grazalema of Cádiz. Its name comes from the local demonym of that village and has become a benchmark of Andalusian artisan cheesemaking.

History

The company Queso Payoyo S.L. was founded in Villaluenga del Rosario in 1995. The brand was registered and patented in 1996, and production started in September 1997. Since then the cheese has helped build a small local industry in the Cádiz mountains that emphasises sustainability and respect for the environment.

Sources also note that a similar cheese had been made in nearby El Bosque since 1986, by the firm El Bosqueño, so the name became popular alongside an existing regional tradition. Several brands now coexist, and the cheese is sold across Spain and exported to European, Asian and American markets.

Culture

The cheese comes in fresh, semi-cured and cured versions, along with finishes such as lard-coated, rosemary, bran or paprika. It can be made from goat milk, sheep milk or a blend, a variety that makes it suited both to everyday tables and to fine gastronomy. It has won numerous national and international awards, placing it among the reference cheeses of Spanish delicatessen.