In this cheese factory, the shepherd Joseba Insausti, a shepherd by vocation as he is the first in his family dedicated to this ancestral trade, makes Idiazabal cheese in the traditional way during the winter season. In the spring and summer months, he goes up to the high mountain pastures with his flock of Latxa sheep. At that time, he makes mountain cheeses that are a real treasure for cheese lovers. He is a young shepherd, but in his career he has been awarded different prizes; in 2015, he received the distinction for the best cheese of all types made in Spain; he was the first shepherd from Ordizia to win the famous Idiazabal cheese contest held in Ordizia during the Euskal Jaiak.

During this visit, Joseba will show us the different parts of the cheesery, and we will be able to learn firsthand about his way of life and the process of making these cheeses. We will also have the opportunity to see the flock and he will explain its management, its feed... And what better way to end the visit than by tasting some of the different varieties of cheeses he makes.

The grandfather of the Aranburu brothers already made cheese in his farmhouse in Idiazabal, and these three grandsons are the ones who have recovered this family trade. This cheesery has received numerous national and international accolades, such as gold and silver medals at the World Cheese Awards, or having been winners of the Ordizia cheese contest in the years 2006 and 2010. During this visit, the shepherd will show us the different facilities of the cheese factory: the press, the brine area, the aging rooms, etc. Through a video, we will also be able to discover the process of making Idiazabal cheese. To end the visit with the best taste in your mouth, a tasting of the different types of cheeses they make will be held.

Idiazabal: Learn the Cheesemaking Process Live

During this visit, shepherd Jesús Aranburu will make an Idiazabal cheese live, and you will be able to learn its making process. You can also visit the cheese factory's facilities: the brining room, the production room, and the aging cellars. To conclude, there will be a tasting of the different types of cheese they produce: natural (unsmoked) and smoked, young and aged.

On this visit, Eneko Goiburu, a young shepherd who has taken the reins of the family business from his parents after having worked in other sectors, will show us the stable where they keep their Latxa sheep. He will tell us how they are cared for, their feed, the births, the shearing... all done in a totally traditional manner. In addition, next to the stable, we will be able to see the pasture area, with spectacular views of the Aizkorri mountain range. On this visit, we will also see the facilities of the cheese factory where they have been making artisanal Idiazabal cheese for decades. And to finish, there will be a tasting of the different types of cheeses they make, which have received numerous awards in recent years, such as being the winners of the Ordizia contest in 2014 and being the best cheese of Gipuzkoa in 2020.

In this traditional cheesery, located in a small town at the foot of the Aizkorri mountain range, two young shepherds, Jon and Martina, have fulfilled their dream of carrying out a life tied to the land. The Latxa sheep they own are in the prairies of Zerain next to the cheesery in winter, while in the summer, the flock moves to the pastures of Aralar, where they stay until winter arrives. On this visit, they will tell us about their way of life and transmit their passion for this ancestral trade and for a product so much our own as Idiazabal Cheese. The visit will end with a tasting of the different types of cheese they make, a production that follows guidelines of sustainability and the search for clean and authentic flavors.