Époisses is the Burgundy cheese famous for its soft texture, washed rind, and remarkably pungent aroma. Also called Époisses de Bourgogne, it is made in and around the village of Époisses in France’s Côte-d’Or department.
This cow’s-milk cheese is smear-ripened: during aging, its rind is washed in brine and then treated with Marc de Bourgogne, a local pomace brandy. The process encourages the surface microbes that produce its characteristic red-orange color, sticky texture, and powerful smell. The rind is edible, although its intensity is not for everyone.
Époisses typically matures for at least six weeks and is sold in a round wooden box because the paste becomes very soft. It received French AOC status in 1991, which limits production to specified communes and preserves traditional manufacturing rules.
A long-standing story attributes the cheese’s origins to Cistercian monks at Cîteaux Abbey in the sixteenth century. Production nearly disappeared after World War I, but Robert and Simone Berthaut revived it in 1956. “World’s smelliest” is subjective, but Époisses is widely recognized as one of the most pungent cheeses.