Ewephoria, See What They Did There?

There are some traditions as old as the hills. 

The Gouda masters of Holland are the keepers of some such traditions, and naturally they are the last word on Gouda production. This cheese is not one of those traditions.

Aimed pretty shamelessly at the export market, Ewephoria joins the ranks such as Soignon goat brie and Cambozola in letting flavor follow market demands. While those two cheeses are mediocre if forgettable Frankensteins (or Frankenstein's monsters, if you're a purist), Ewephoria is actually pretty good. You know, dear reader, how I protest against such prostitution of palate for profit, but here's one example that stumbles upon a decent idea and executes it brilliantly. 

Origin: Holland

Milk: Sheep, pasteurized

Rennet: Microbial

Affinage: 6-12 months

Notes: There are a few different ages available, but who are we kidding. Why go for mild and meh when you can have a Gouda that screams unintelligbly in Dutch at you. Doesn't that sound like more fun?

Thoughts: This adaptation on Gouda has a pleasant flavor that develops over the course of the taste. At first the cheese starts out with a mild nuttiness and a hint of sweetness, by the end the sweetness has developed into a rich and dark toffee/butterscotch note that breaks down perfectly on the palate. This sweetness is highlighted and contrasted by the natural oiliness of the sheep's milk, which makes for a complex but not overbearing overall taste. Not too creamy, but balanced, this is a great interpretation of the classic Gouda and well worth trying for any Gouda lover. 

What is fascinating is the contrast between the characteristics of sheep's milk from Spain and that from Holland. I mean, barely 1,000km apart and they could be two completely different animals, for example there is nothing olive-oily about this cheese, but you can practically taste it in a lot of the Spanish sheep's milk delicacies. Does no one else find this really exciting? Am I all alone in the universe?