Trader Joe's Spanish Cheese Tapas Sampler

I first (and last) tried Iberico cheese just short of four years ago; see here. I liked this new one more than that old review says, though I don't know if my tastes have shifted (they definitely have on many other things), or if this is a different variety/manufacturer. It seems more rich, flavorful, and distinctive than I recorded previously.

With Manchego, I again had my first experience via Trader Joe's, and because of writing this blog; see here. Strangely, though I was enthusiastic about it, I never went back for more. Maybe they stopped selling it, or maybe I didn't remember how much I liked it. I'm not sure. (EDIT: They did not stop selling it. I bought a block of it last night.) That's one of the hazards of trying to review a new thing every day for years--some excellent items get forgotten. Anyway, I liked these little Manchego wedges just as much as I did the one back in 2016. I'll have to look for blocks of it at the store and try to get acquainted again.

The Cabra Al Vino (a.k.a. "Drunken Goat") was the new one for me, and the only one of the three that I didn't care for. I couldn't detect the wine-infused flavor that I expected, and it had a slightly bitter edge to it. It wasn't terrible, and I ate it along with the others, but it didn't make me a fan the way its partners did. As regular reader/commenter T.T. Rockwood said of goat cheeses generally, "They ALL have that goat-y funk and taste vaguely like wet barn." This one wasn't as bad in that way as some others, but even a little goat funk it too much for me, apparently.


Will I buy it again? 

Not for myself. I would rather buy blocks of the Iberico and Manchego by themselves. But this sampler would make an excellent addition to a cheese tray for a party. The wedges even come pre-sliced for your convenience.