Only made seasonally (in the winter) Vacherin Mont d’Or draws its smoothness from the milk of the cows fed with herbs and flowers from the Vaud Jura. The refinement process helps develop a unique aroma and texture from this fragrant start.

When suitably ripe, the cheese under the pale yellow crust is soft and deliciously alpine. When very ripe it becomes super oozy and spoonable. Its superbly rich creaminess is enhanced by woody notes. This comes from the strip of spruce bark that encircles the cheese inside the box. The spruce box is handcrafted from Jura fir trees. The wooden kernels subtlety transmit their scent into the flavour.

Soft vacherin should be served very ripe, still in their wooden boxes, with the rind cut off the top – the cheese can be scooped out with a spoon. You can also pour some wine over the top, wrap the box in foil and bake for 20 minutes.

France - cow's milk - unpasteurised