Ossau-Iraty is a traditional, unpasteurized ewe's milk cheese from the picturesque mountains of Pyrenees that hold a fertile grazing land for the milk-giving ewes. This cheese unites two regions of France in the Western Pyrénées: Ossau valley of Bearn and Iraty Forest of Basque Country.
Ossau-Iraty is semi-hard in texture with a thick, buff rind marked with rust and grey moulds. Beneath the brown and orange rind is an ivory white, supple and slightly grainy interior that has a creamy and buttery mouth feel. Flavours are herbaceous, nutty and fruity if the produce is from winter while the summer cheeses tend to reveal aromas of grass and flowers.