Queso Cabrales DOP Los Mazos is the high-mountain Cabrales cheese made by Quesería Ángel Díaz Herrero in Tielve, Asturias. It is positioned as the dairy’s most distinctive and prestigious cheese, shaped by prolonged ageing and the specific conditions of the Los Mazos cave.
Unlike their more balanced Cabrales Ángel Díaz Herrero, „Los Mazos“ matures for more than 220 days in the natural Los Mazos cave, located at about 1.430 metres above sea level in Peña Maín. This long maturation at high altitude gives the cheese a denser structure, deeper concentration and a more persistent flavour.
When cut, the paste is compact and slightly resistant, with the blue veining typical of Cabrales developing naturally during cave ageing. On the palate, it is intense and decisive, with a flavour that unfolds slowly rather than disappearing quickly.
The finish is long, warm and powerful, making it a Cabrales for those who appreciate strong blue cheeses with a clear mountain character. Its identity comes not only from the milk and traditional Cabrales method, but also from the cave itself, where humidity, temperature and native moulds influence the final result.
The cheese reflects the rugged terroir of the Picos de Europa and the artisanal work of a small family producer.
Producer
Ángel Díaz Herrero is a small artisan cheesemaker from Tielve, in the municipality of Cabrales in Asturias, specializing in Cabrales cheese with Protected Designation of Origin status. Its work is closely connected to the mountain landscape of the Picos de Europa, where raw milk and natural cave ageing are essential to the identity of this cheese.
The dairy produces Cabrales DOP „Ángel Díaz Herrero“ and Cabrales DOP „Los Mazos“, with the first described as more balanced and moderately spicy, while „Los Mazos“ is stronger, denser and aged for a longer period. Cabrales „Ángel Díaz Herrero“ is made from raw cow’s milk or a blend of cow’s and goat’s milk, and is aged for at least 100 days in the natural cave of La Concha Parda, at around 730 metres above sea level. „Los Mazos“ is their more prestigious high-mountain cheese, aged for more than 220 days in the Los Mazos cave, at around 1.430 metres above sea level.
This ageing process gives the cheese a moist rind, a creamy yet firm paste, pronounced blue veining and a long, powerful finish. Production is based on local raw milk and a process shaped by the natural conditions of the area, rather than by full standardisation.
For this reason, each wheel reflects the season, the milk and the cave in which it matures. The cheesemaker is especially known for awards and record-breaking auctions, and its cheeses have attracted repeated attention at competitions dedicated to Cabrales.
One of their cheeses achieved an exceptionally high price at the 53rd Cabrales competition auction, further strengthening the dairy’s reputation among the most recognizable Cabrales producers.