This is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese aged in the caves for a minimum of six months, earning it the Black Label. The paste is straw-colored and dense, dotted with small "eyes", and breaks into clean slabs under the knife. The flavor is nutty through the middle with a real piquant tingle on the back of the palate, the herbal-brine signature lifted by the extra time in the cellar. The rind is golden-orange, washed, and aromatic right up to the edge of the paste.

If you already love a long-aged Alpine, the Black Label is where Appenzeller starts to flex. The brine wash gives it a unique character, and at this age the herbs, the salt, and the toasted-hazelnut depth all sit in balance.