Ammoniated
A sharp smell of ammonia from a soft cheese that has ripened too far or been wrapped too tightly.
Also: ammoniacal, ammonia smell
As bloomy and washed-rind cheeses ripen, the moulds and bacteria on the rind break proteins down into smaller pieces, and one of the final products is ammonia. A little gives depth; too much gives a cheese the sting of household cleaner. An ammoniated cheese is usually over-ripe, has been stored too cold and airless, or has sat in plastic film so the gas could not escape. Letting it breathe unwrapped at room temperature for half an hour often clears a mild ammonia note from the rind, but if the smell comes from the paste itself the cheese is past its best. The term is used by graders, cheesemongers and judges, and it is a common fault in shop-bought Brie and Camembert.