The semi-soft, washed-rind cheese from France’s Savoie region with a strong aroma is Reblochon.
Reblochon is made from cow’s milk in Haute-Savoie, especially around the Thônes and Arly valleys in the Aravis massif. It has a soft, supple centre and a washed, smear-ripened rind that contributes to its pronounced smell and savoury, nutty flavour. The cheese typically weighs about 450 grams and is aged for roughly six to eight weeks.
Its name comes from the French verb reblocher, referring to milking a cow a second time. Medieval mountain farmers reportedly held back part of the milk during an owner’s measurement, then used the richer second milking to make cheese. Reblochon received French AOC protection in 1958.
It is the defining cheese of tartiflette, a Savoyard dish of potatoes, onions, bacon, and melted cheese. Comté is a firm Jura cheese, while Époisses and Munster are also washed-rind cheeses but come from different French regions and have distinct production traditions.