This medium-sized mountain cheese from Haute Savoie in the Rhone-Alpes is produced using milk from cows of Abondance, Montbeliard and Tarine.

The cheese has a strong smell and a distinct and complex flavor, with balance of acidity and sweetness and a long aftertaste. The crust, including the gray layer beneath, should be removed before eating.

Affinage takes at least 90 days, during which time a maximum of three samples are taken from the core of the cheese with cheese iron.

Abondance boasts a yummy fat content of 48%.