In 1131 a Trappist abbey of Tamié was founded in the region of Bauges, Savoie. For over a hundred years the monks have produced a cheese called le Tamié. It is a close cousin to a cheese we all know well: the Reblochon. During the maturing period the cheeses are regularly washed in brine. The Tamié is instantly recognized as it is always wrapped in a blue paper, which is decorated with the white cross of Malta. The monks have a remarkable delicate and sophisticated taste. The Tamié is a larger cheese than the Reblochon with a pâte less creamy, but the taste is often stronger and more perfumed. The rind is slightly humid and of an orange colour.