I remember the first time I tasted Limburger as a teenager -- my father was a cheese freak -- and was amazed that it tasted so good. That said, some people just aren't up for strong-flavored cheeses. I love Roquefort, but even many blue-cheese lovers find it too much. I had a domestic blue in Israel that was marvelous -- fairly light, with an oddly parmesan undertone, and incredible for cooking.
Generally try hard-textured cheeses to minimize the stinky ones. Go to a good cheese counter, like at a Whole Foods, and ask for advice. Usually you can get little slivers to taste. Of soft cheeses, avoid those with mold or veining as part of their charm. The older the cheese, generally, the stronger flavor, which is not necessarily the same thing as smell -- a really old American cheddar doesn't smell that different, but the taste is extremely biting -- what we called 'Rat cheese' in New Hampshire -- and incredible with a sweet, juicy apple.
