British cheesemakers create "Stilton" perfume

LONDON, May 13 (Reuters) Some say Britain's pungent blue-veined Stilton cheese smells of old socks. But its fans have turned the rare odour into a perfume.

The Stilton Cheese Makers Association commissioned an aromatics firm to create Eau de Stilton, described on the association's Web site as featuring a ''symphony of natural base notes including Yarrow, Angelica seed, Clary Sage and Valerian''.

''Blue Stilton cheese has a very distinctive mellow aroma and our perfumier was able to capture the key essence of that scent and recreate it in an unusual but highly wearable perfume,'' said an association spokesman.

The perfume will be available from www.stiltoncheese.com.

REUTERS SI ND0920