So Manchego is a really neat cheese from Spain! It is interesting in itself that is has its own related sheep breed! Only the milk from a manchega sheep can be turned into true D.O.P. Manchego. They are so cute too, but to be fair most sheep are pretty cute. This cheese is produced in various stages of aging too, all with different names! In most cases you'll find Viejo Manchego in your local stores, which is aged for a year or two. If you ever get a chance to visit Spain I highly recommend you hunt yourself down some Fresco Manchego simply because it's so hard to get outside of Spain. It comes in both pasteurized and raw. I hope to try it for myself one day!
Manchego itself is a really nice crumbly cheese in the Viejo version. It's almost a little sweet but sharp! If you've had sheep's milk cheese before you know it can be a very rich flavor due to the fat content and this is one I love to just EAT. It's got such a fun flavor. It's great with sweets and nuts, like honey and almonds! It's a great one for any cheese plate if you are looking for something unique! The cheese itself is traditionally aged in baskets made of esparto which is why it has that funky zig zag pattern. Many of what you get in a store now a days tho is done via a mould but you can find basket aged ones in Spain. 