Zigljen Iz Extra Mature Cheese
Zigljen Iz Extra Mature cheese is a premium, aged variant of Žigljen (pronounced roughly as “ZHEE-glyen”), an artisan hard cheese from Sirana Gligora, a renowned Croatian dairy on the island of Pag (famous for Paški sir/Pag cheese).Base cheese: Žigljen is a hard, pasteurized cheese made from a blend of cow’s milk (80%) and sheep’s milk (20%), sourced from regions like Dalmatia, Lika, and Kordun in Croatia. It’s inspired by traditional Pag cheesemaking but uses mixed milks for a balanced profile.
Extra Mature version: This one is aged for a minimum of 6–12 months (often 8+ months in descriptions), resulting in a firmer, more compact texture as the cheese loses moisture (up to a third of its mass). It develops added complexity, intensity, sharpness, and strength compared to the standard Žigljen (aged 3–6 months).
Flavor profile: Intense, complex, and bold — nutty, savory, slightly tangy/sharp, with rich aromas, a granular/crumbly texture, and a deep yellow rind. The longer aging brings out stronger, more pronounced notes without being overly pungent.
Production: Made by Sirana Gligora (founded in 1995 by Ivan Gligora), known for award-winning cheeses like Paški sir. Žigljen has variants like “Iz Mosta” (aged in pressed red wine grapes) or “Iz Maraskine Komine” (aged in marasca cherry pomace), but “Iz Extra Mature” refers to the extended dry aging for extra depth.
Awards & recognition: Gligora’s Žigljen and its aged versions (including extra old/mature) have won medals at the World Cheese Awards, such as Super Gold, Gold, and Silver in recent years.
Serving tips: Great for grating over pasta/risotto, on charcuterie boards, or enjoyed with crusty bread, olives, prosciutto, or Croatian wines (e.g., Plavac Mali or Pošip). Its sharpness pairs well with fruits like figs or pears, or even a drizzle of honey for balance.
This continues the theme of artisan cheeses we’ve been exploring — from American Swiss-style (Ziller, Zwitser) to Portuguese soft (Zimbro), now to this Croatian hard mixed-milk beauty. It’s semi-hard to hard, versatile, and packs serious flavor from that extended maturation.
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