"Pag Island sheep graze on sage and bora-dried herbs — the milk they produce makes Croatia's most distinctive cheese, salty, crystalline and impossible to make anywhere else."
About Paški Sir (Pag Cheese)
Croatia's most famous artisan product — a hard, sharp sheep's milk cheese made from the milk of Pag Island sheep that graze on sage and bora-wind-dried herbs; the result is a dense, crystalline cheese with a pronounced salinity and herbal depth; aged in olive oil, it is the mandatory accompaniment to pršut (Dalmatian cured ham) on every Croatian charcuterie board.
Croatia's most famous artisan product comes from Pag Island — a hard sheep's milk cheese made from the milk of sheep that graze on sage and aromatic herbs dried by the bora wind. The result is a dense, crystalline cheese with a pronounced salinity and herbal depth that cannot be replicated from sheep grazing anywhere else.
Paški sir is always present on Croatian charcuterie boards alongside pršut, olives and capers. It's aged in olive oil, which softens the exterior and deepens the flavour.
What to Expect
The cheese arrives already sliced, the pale interior dense and crystalline. The first bite is salty and slightly sharp, with an herbal undertone that lingers. The pršut alongside is the natural pairing.
Why Try It
Paški sir is a case study in terroir applied to cheese — the island's specific flora and climate are inseparable from the product.
Insider Tips
Buy it directly on Pag Island if you visit — the freshest version is sold at local farms.
The olive oil-aged version has a softer, more complex flavour than the unaged version.
Pair with Pošip or Grk — white wines from the Dalmatian islands that share the same mineral salinity.
