Taste salty

Vieux Lille

Stink Level: 10/10

Salted and aged washed-rind cow’s milk cheese. It gives off a scent described as ammonia, fishy, pungent, overpowering, with a taste that’s salty, sharp, creamy, lingering, and a texture that's reddish rind, firm and dense interior. It’s often enjoyed crumbled into potatoes or eggs, served with beer.

Other names: Puant de Lille

Best enjoyed...

Crumbled into potatoes or eggs.
Served with beer.

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Ami Du Chambertin

Stink Level: 9/10

Washed-rind cow's milk cheese from Burgundy. It gives off a scent described as barnyard, ammonia, fermented, cellar, with a taste that’s salty, creamy, tangy, savory, and a texture that's orange rind, gooey interior, sticky, soft. It’s often enjoyed spread on bread, served with berries, paired with pinot noir.

On the nose

ammonia, barnyard, cellar, fermented

On the tongue

creamy, salty, savory, tangy

To the eye (and touch)

gooey interior, orange rind, soft, sticky

Best enjoyed...

Spread on bread.
Served with berries.
Paired with Pinot Noir.

Ever crossed paths with this cheese? Leave a comment and tell us what tempted you—or held you back.

Dorset Blue Vinney

Stink Level: 6/10

Crumbly cow's milk blue cheese from Dorset. It gives off a scent described as musty, cellar, metallic, sharp, with a taste that’s peppery, tangy, salty, sharp, and a texture that's crumbly, dry, veined with blue mold. It’s often enjoyed used in leek soup, crumbled on salads, paired with dark ale or cider.

On the nose

cellar, metallic, musty, sharp

On the tongue

peppery, salty, sharp, tangy

To the eye (and touch)

crumbly, dry, veined with blue mold

Best enjoyed...

Used in leek soup.
Crumbled on salads.
Paired with dark ale or cider.

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Époisses

Stink Level: 10/10

Washed-rind cow's milk cheese washed in Marc de Bourgogne. It gives off a scent described as fermented, barnyard, wet socks, funky, with a taste that’s rich, salty, creamy, umami, and a texture that's orange sticky rind, soft and runny inside. It’s often enjoyed spread on rustic bread, served with figs or berries, paired with burgundy pinot noir.

Other names: Epoisses | Epoisses de Bourgogne | Époisses de Bourgogne

On the nose

barnyard, fermented, funky, wet socks

On the tongue

creamy, rich, salty, umami

To the eye (and touch)

orange sticky rind, soft and runny inside

Best enjoyed...

Spread on rustic bread.
Served with figs or berries.
Paired with Burgundy Pinot Noir.

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Limburger

Stink Level: 10/10

Famous washed-rind cow's milk cheese from Belgium/Germany. It gives off a scent described as body odor, sweaty socks, feet, ammonia, with a taste that’s mild, tangy, salty, earthy, and a texture that's orange-brown rind, creamy interior, sticky. It’s often enjoyed served on rye with onions and mustard, paired with bock beer.

On the nose

ammonia, body odor, feet, sweaty socks

On the tongue

earthy, mild, salty, tangy

To the eye (and touch)

creamy interior, orange-brown rind, sticky

Best enjoyed...

Served on rye with onions and mustard.
Paired with bock beer.

Smelled it but didn’t bite? Share your reason in a comment.

Livarot

Stink Level: 9/10

Washed-rind cow's milk cheese wrapped in reed strips. It gives off a scent described as barnyard, smoky, meaty, pungent, with a taste that’s intense, beefy, salty, creamy, and a texture that's orange sticky rind, soft and dense interior, reed wrapped. It’s often enjoyed spread on toast, served with cider or normandy calvados.

Other names: The Colonel | Livarot cheese

On the nose

barnyard, meaty, pungent, smoky

On the tongue

beefy, creamy, intense, salty

To the eye (and touch)

orange sticky rind, reed wrapped, soft and dense interior

Best enjoyed...

Spread on toast.
Served with cider or Normandy Calvados.

Curious or cautious? Let us know where you stand in a comment.

Munster

Stink Level: 9/10

Washed-rind cow's milk cheese from Alsace-Lorraine. It gives off a scent described as barnyard, sour milk, fermented, meaty, with a taste that’s salty, tangy, pungent, creamy, and a texture that's orange sticky rind, soft ivory paste, moist. It’s often enjoyed served with cumin seeds, potatoes, paired with gewürztraminer.

Other names: Minschterkaas | münster | Munster-géromé

On the nose

barnyard, fermented, meaty, sour milk

On the tongue

creamy, pungent, salty, tangy

To the eye (and touch)

moist, orange sticky rind, soft ivory paste

Best enjoyed...

Served with cumin seeds.
Served with potatoes.
Paired with Gewürztraminer.

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Schloss

Stink Level: 8/10

Austrian washed-rind cow’s milk cheese. It gives off a scent described as musty, fermented, sour, meaty, with a taste that’s sharp, nutty, salty, strong, and a texture that's orange rind, creamy center, soft and sticky. It’s often enjoyed used in open-faced sandwiches, served with pickles, paired with grüner veltliner.

Other names: Schlosskäse

On the nose

fermented, meaty, musty, sour

On the tongue

nutty, salty, sharp, strong

To the eye (and touch)

creamy center, orange rind, soft and sticky

Best enjoyed...

Used in open-faced sandwiches.
Served with pickles.
Paired with Grüner Veltliner.

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Soumaintrain

Stink Level: 9/10

Washed-rind cow’s milk cheese from Burgundy. It gives off a scent described as ammonia, sulfur, barnyard, intense, with a taste that’s creamy, strong, salty, pungent, and a texture that's sticky orange rind, soft and gooey interior. It’s often enjoyed spread on baguette, served with grapes or berries, paired with white burgundy.

On the nose

ammonia, barnyard, intense, sulfur

On the tongue

creamy, pungent, salty, strong

To the eye (and touch)

soft and gooey interior, sticky orange rind

Best enjoyed...

Spread on baguette.
Served with grapes or berries.
Paired with white Burgundy.

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Trou du Cru

Stink Level: 10/10

Mini washed-rind cow’s milk cheese from Burgundy. It gives off a scent described as intensely funky, fermented, barnyard, with a taste that’s salty, rich, concentrated, creamy, and a texture that's tiny round, sticky orange rind, runny inside. It’s often enjoyed served solo with crusty bread, paired with chablis.

On the nose

barnyard, fermented, intensely funky

On the tongue

concentrated, creamy, rich, salty

To the eye (and touch)

runny inside, sticky orange rind, tiny round

Best enjoyed...

Served with crusty bread.
Paired with Chablis.

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