Petit Livarot is the smaller version of the Livarot which is known as 'The Colonel' because of the five strips of raffia which are wrapped round it to stop bulging. It has a glossy orange-brown washed rind which can become very dark and rustic looking. The golden paste has little holes and is soft and springy.
The French gourmet Petit Livarot is clearly a cheese that cannot be missed because of the pungent aroma coming from the rind.
The aroma is farmyard like bacon and ammonia but the paste is more subtle, though still with meaty overtones. The taste is also full and strong with farmyard flavors and a strong, salty lemon tang which bites the tongue.
Similar cheeses are Epoisses, Munster and Pont l'Évêque.