Cheese story
What is Azeitão?
A small Portuguese sheep cheese set with thistle rennet.
Origin
Setúbal Peninsula, Portugal
Milk
sheep
Board role
Soft / creamy
Cheese profile
Country
Portugal
Region
Setúbal Peninsula
Milk type
sheep
Texture
soft
Rind
natural
Ageing
20+ days
Vegetarian
Check the rennet / producer
Milk treatment
raw
Flavour profile: buttery, tangy, herbal, sheepy
Origin, protection and character
Azeitão comes from Portugal, especially Setúbal Peninsula. Its character comes from the balance of milk, texture, rind, ageing and local serving traditions.
Protected status
PDO/DOP
Typical ageing
20+ days
How to serve Azeitão
bread, cheese boards, appetisers
Good food matches
Moscatel
crusty bread
Serving tip
Take it out of the fridge before serving so the texture softens and the flavour opens up. Softer cheeses usually need less time than hard aged cheeses.
Buying tip
Look for clean aroma, good texture and a style that matches the board: fresh and bright, soft and creamy, hard and nutty, blue and salty, or bold and washed-rind.
