Queso Flor de Guía

A group of three protected sheep-dominant cheeses produced exclusively in the municipalities of Gáldar, Moya, and Santa María de Guía in north-western Gran Canaria. The designations are distinguished principally by their coagulant: Queso de Flor de Guía requires solely cardoon-thistle vegetable rennet, Queso de Media Flor de Guía requires at least 50% vegetable rennet, and Queso de Guía permits animal rennet and other authorised cultures.

About this designation

The Protected Designation of Origin covers three named cheese types registered under file number PDO-ES-0605, granted EU protection on 21 May 2007 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013918). All three types are produced only within the municipalities of Gáldar, Moya, and Santa María de Guía in the north-western district of Gran Canaria. Each type requires that milk from the Canary Island breed of sheep constitute at least 60% of the total milk used; milk from Canary Island cattle and crossbreeds thereof may not exceed 40%, and milk from any of the Canary Islands' breeds of goats may not exceed 10%. The specification permits no other milk sources. Queso de Flor de Guía is coagulated exclusively with vegetable rennet prepared from the dried flower heads of Cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima and Cynara scolymus. Queso de Media Flor de Guía requires that at least 50% of the rennet used be vegetable rennet from the same cardoon varieties. Queso de Guía may be coagulated with animal rennet, vegetable rennet from those same cardoon varieties, and/or other authorised starter cultures. All three types may be classified as full-fat or half-fat and are further classified by maturity: cheeses whose maturing process lasts between 15 and 60 days are designated semi-mature, and those maturing for longer than 60 days are designated mature. The production system is markedly seasonal, with lactation running from January to July and transhumance taking place from August to December. Approximately 100 livestock farms in the protected area continue artisanal production using traditional methods.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PDO on 21 May 2007 under file number PDO-ES-0605; eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013918.
• Queso de Flor de Guía is coagulated using only vegetable rennet from dried flower heads of Cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima and Cynara scolymus; no other coagulant is permitted.
• All three types require that milk from the Canary Island breed of sheep constitute at least 60% of total milk used.
• Production is confined to three municipalities: Gáldar, Moya, and Santa María de Guía in north-western Gran Canaria.

Tasting notes

Canarian (Gran Canaria) sheep-and-cow-milk pressed cheese DOP, three sub-styles by milk-type ratio. Distinctive vegetable-rennet (cardo) coagulation, ivory paste, semi-firm texture, balanced tangy flavor.

HoReCa use

Canarian tabla de quesos.

Packaging

• wheel-full-1-5kg
• wedge-vacuum-200g