Milk: Pasteurized Sheep
Origin: Ireland , Tipperary
Texture: Semi-firm
Rennet: Microbial
Cashel Creamery is best known for their Cashel blue cheese, the first blue cheese to come out of Ireland. They then ventured into a sheep's milk Gouda style blue cheese called Crozier. With the Shepherd's Store they stayed with the sheep's milk but took inspiration from the Pyrenean tommes. The Frisian Milksheep that are the source of the milk are known as excellent milk producers over a long lactation period. They are in the top three sheep milk breeds (Lacaunes and Awassi are the other two).
The cheese is made between February and September when the animals are on grass. It is aged for six months and regularly brine washed during that time. Like its European counterparts, Shepherd's Store is milky and creamy, with umami/earthy notes giving the cheese a savory appeal.
Have this cheese with a fruity red, an off-dry white or go all-Irish with a Guinness.
