Mont d'Or Cheese vs Queso de Flor de Guía

Q: Is Mont d'Or Cheese the same as Queso de Flor de Guía?

No. Mont d'Or Cheese and Queso de Flor de Guía are distinct cheeses. See the side-by-side table for the specific differences in milk type, texture, and aging.

Q: Can I substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?

In most recipes you can swap Mont d'Or Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía, though the result will shift in richness and milk character.

Q: Which should I choose, Mont d'Or Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?

It depends on the dish. The texture and flavor rows in the table above are the best guide. Pick the one whose profile fits your recipe or board.

Mont d'Or Cheese

Queso de Flor de Guía

Mont d'Or Cheese is a soft cow-milk cheese from France, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty and made from cow, goat, and sheep milk.

What Is Mont d'Or Cheese?

Mont d'Or, or Vacherin Mont d'Or, is a seasonal, soft cheese made from cow's milk in the Jura region of France. Available from September to May, it has a delicate, creamy texture and a rich, earthy flavor. Mont d'Or is traditionally eaten warmed in the box it comes in, making the interior deliciously runny.

What Is Queso de Flor de Guía?

Queso de Flor de Guía is a full-fat or half-fat cheese from Spain, specifically produced in Gáldar, Moya, and Santa María de Guía in Gran Canaria. It is made primarily from Canary Island sheep’s milk, with up to 40% Canary Island cattle milk and up to 10% Canary Island goat milk. The milk is curdled exclusively using vegetable rennet derived from the dried flower heads of Cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima and Cynara scolymus. The cheese has a cylindrical shape and varies in size from 0.5 to 5 kg. Its texture is dense, compact, and pasty, with a very soft and creamy interior when semi-mature and a harder body when fully matured. The flavor is highly aromatic, acidic, and bitter, with mild burning and astringent sensations. It matures for at least 15 days for semi-mature cheese and over 60 days for mature cheese.

What's the Difference Between Mont d'Or Cheese and Queso de Flor de Guía?

Milk type: Mont d'Or Cheese (Cow's milk), Queso de Flor de Guía (Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk)
Texture: Mont d'Or Cheese (Soft), Queso de Flor de Guía (Dense, compact, pasty)
Rind: Mont d'Or Cheese (Washed rind), Queso de Flor de Guía (Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature)
Aging: Mont d'Or Cheese (21 to 60 days), Queso de Flor de Guía (15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature))
Taste: Mont d'Or Cheese (Resinous, mild to pungent), Queso de Flor de Guía (Aromatic, acidic, and bitter)

Side-by-Side Comparison

	Mont d'Or Cheese	Queso de Flor de Guía
Country of Origin	France	—
Specific Origin	Jura Mountains, Doubs	Gáldar, Moya, And Santa María De Guía, Gran Canaria
Milk Type	Cow's milk	Sheep (Canary Island breed), with up to 40% cow and 10% goat milk
Milk Treatment	Raw	—
Texture	Soft	Dense, compact, pasty
Rind	Washed rind	Soft and elastic when young, dark brown and harder when mature
Aging	21 to 60 days	15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature)
Taste	Resinous, mild to pungent	Aromatic, acidic, and bitter

Taste Comparison: Does Mont d'Or Cheese Taste Like Queso de Flor de Guía?

Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent, while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter character. More specifically, Mont d'Or Cheese shows known for its creamy taste and powerful aroma; gets resinous flavor from spruce bark, while Queso de Flor de Guía leans toward lactic, vegetal (cardoon and nuts). Aging plays into this as well. Mont d'Or Cheese at 21 to 60 days develops a different profile than Queso de Flor de Guía at 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Can You Substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?

Mont d'Or Cheese can stand in for Queso de Flor de Guía in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe. Expect soft bite and body where the recipe calls for dense, compact, pasty. Flavor-wise, Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent while Queso de Flor de Guía brings aromatic, acidic, and bitter notes.

Which Is Better, Mont d'Or Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?

There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want. If you want a soft cheese, go with Mont d'Or Cheese. For a dense, compact, pasty profile, Queso de Flor de Guía is the better fit. Flavor-wise, Mont d'Or Cheese suits recipes that want resinous, mild to pungent notes, while Queso de Flor de Guía fits dishes calling for aromatic, acidic, and bitter.

Which is your favorite?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mont d'Or Cheese the same as Queso de Flor de Guía?

No, they're distinct cheeses. Mont d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk; Queso de Flor de Guía uses cow, goat, and sheep. Aging also differs: Mont d'Or Cheese is typically aged 21 to 60 days, Queso de Flor de Guía 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Is Mont d'Or Cheese similar to Queso de Flor de Guía?

Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.

Can I substitute Mont d'Or Cheese for Queso de Flor de Guía?

You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.

Does Mont d'Or Cheese taste like Queso de Flor de Guía?

Mont d'Or Cheese reads as resinous, mild to pungent, while Queso de Flor de Guía is aromatic, acidic, and bitter.

What is Mont d'Or Cheese made of?

Mont d'Or Cheese is made from cow milk (raw), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 21 to 60 days. It originates in France.

What is Queso de Flor de Guía made of?

Queso de Flor de Guía is made from cow, goat, and sheep milk, using vegetable (cynara cardunculus var. ferocissima, cynara scolymus) rennet. It's typically aged 15+ days (semi-mature), 60+ days (mature).

Which should I choose, Mont d'Or Cheese or Queso de Flor de Guía?

It depends on the dish. The texture difference is the biggest practical tell. Mont d'Or Cheese is soft, while Queso de Flor de Guía is dense, compact, pasty.