Ahumado The Dairy, Farm, Animals & Maker This lightly smoked, young artisan Manchego is made by Vega Mancha in the village of Sotuélamos in Albacete, Spain. Vega Mancha was established in 1985 by two friends passionate about cheese, and has been producing exceptional quality Lacaune ewe’s milk cheeses ever since, following traditional methods and practicing sustainable and environmentally conscious farming. The sheep graze on the grassy plains of La Mancha and are also placed on rotated cereal crop fields to eat what is left after harvest; this includes high protein leguminous crops, predominantly lentil crops, but also chickpea crops, as well as the shoots of vines in wine producing areas. This allows the sheep to have a nutrient rich and varied diet whilst also fertilising the fields for future years of crop growth. Paraje Sotuélamos is a small, artisanal factory, which takes its name from the local district, Sotuélamos. Two friends, Francisco and Pedro, were very regular customers in the 80’s and when the opportunity arose to take over the business in 1985, they jumped at the offer, despite not having previous experience in the dairy industry. From there, they learned the trade and introduced a range of new flavoured Manchegos, including versions with rosemary and truffle. In 2017, modern premises were purchased and became the logistics and ripening centre of the business. In 2020, both Francisco and Pedro sadly passed away and the business is now carried on by their families. Flavour Profile The smoked Manchego is bouncy in texture, with an intense aroma and lightly smoked, meaty flavour reminiscent of cooked ham. Summary This cheese is aged for 2 months in Spain and an additional 2 months in our Cambridge cellars, and is made with pasteurised ewe's milk and traditional rennet.