Roquefort Papillon Noir AOP

Put myself on the waiting list immediately after my first taste!
Highly recommended!♥

Ohhhkay, well I understand why the first wheel sold out in mere hours after release. This cheese is a potent blend of the best qualities of other blue cheeses, all merged into one. There's the umami, toasty buttered bread-ness of Stilton, but with less bitterness; just enough to give it depth. It's perfectly salty, even briny, with loads of zest and pepperiness. I was shocked that it also had the fruity, grape-y notes and soft whipped butter texture of St Agur. This cheese has more textural interest, though; it's firmer toward the rind, and devolves into soft supple pudding through the center. The heart of the whole morass is a cavernous lace of crunchy, herbaceous, lichen-like veining, which collapses into itself under knife when left at room temperature for a few hours. This one gets prizes!