The Spanish cheese lacks minute essential (9)
I believe the answer is:
elemental
'essential' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for elemental that I've seen before include "Let me lean like forces of nature" , "Basic, rudimentary" , "Of nature's powers" , "Related to the powers of nature" , "Rising trend" .)