Lori and Syunik provinces · Armenia
Chanakh.
Chanakh arrives as a crumbly, semi-hard nugget with the sharp tang of aged sheep's milk and a distinctive brine-forward bite that coats your palate with mineral-bright saltiness. Its texture fractures pleasantly between your teeth, releasing waves of tangy intensity punctuated by subtle heat—a cheese that demands attention rather than comfort. The aroma carries the earthy, slightly gamey character of mountain sheep milk, grounded by the sharp vinegar notes of its brining liquor.
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The story
How it's made.
Why it tastes that way.
Chanakh is a traditional Armenian brined cheese produced in the northern and southern provinces of Armenia, as well as in Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Its name derives from the Armenian word for a type of earthenware pot used to age the cheese. It has been produced in the Caucasus region for at least 2,000 years.
Production · spec
- Milk
- Sheep · raw
- Family
- Brined
- Rind
- rindless
- Age
- 2–6 mo
- Intensity
Tasting profile
What it tastes like.
Caseo's flavour axes are calibrated against reference cheeses. This is Chanakh's fingerprint.
Aroma
Nutrition · per 100g serving
What's in a wedge.
A 100g serving — about a finger-thick wedge. Daily values use the FDA 2020 reference of 2,000 kcal. Expect ±5% variation between wheels.
Estimated values — based on similar cheese family data
Pairings · Caseo curated
What goes with Chanakh.
25 pairings across 8 categories.
Wine
Beer & Cider
Spirits
Where to find it
Cheese counters.
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