This is the most popular cheese from the Basque region of Spain. Basque shepherds created it centuries ago, and would store the cheese into stone chimneys for it to age. Idiazabal's smoky flavor does not, as one may think, come from the chimneys, but rather from the beechwood used to smoke it with. Made from unpasteurized sheep's milk, this cheese is matured for an extended period of time to bring out a hearty flavor.