If you are a fan of good olive oil and you like to discover different varieties, the following article will help you understand what a tasting consists of. Read carefully, below we will give you some tips so that you can express your opinion as if you were an expert.
Tasting is carried out to evaluate the sensory properties of olive oil, since it is not possible to know the quality of the product absolutely by its chemical analysis alone. Tasting is carefully trying a product, subjecting it to the senses, especially smell and taste, and trying to understand it by identifying its possible defects or virtues, in order to express them.
The person responsible for the tasting is the taster , the person with the knowledge, training and experience necessary to evaluate a food product from a sensory point of view and as objectively as possible. As a human being, he can make mistakes, and even if he does not make mistakes, he will always offer a subjective judgment about what he is evaluating. For this reason, the sensory analysis process of an olive oil is not carried out by a single person but by several.
The tasting panel was created due to the subjective opinion offered by a single person. This is an objective control instrument made up of subjective elements, since sensory analyses are carried out by people. It is based on tests organised under controlled conditions by a group of between 8 and 12 tasters trained according to previously established sensory techniques and its purpose is to replace an individual judgement with an average criterion.
Okay, now that you know the main elements, let's describe the attributes that are used when evaluating an olive oil:
Positive Attributes
- Fruity : The fruity attribute is considered green when the olfactory sensations are reminiscent of green fruits, which is characteristic of oil from green fruits. The fruity attribute is considered ripe when the olfactory sensations are reminiscent of ripe fruits, which is characteristic of oil from green and ripe fruits.
- Bitter: Characteristic flavour of the oil obtained from green or turning olives.
- Spicy : Tactile sensation of spiciness, characteristic of oils obtained at the beginning of the campaign, mainly from olives that are still green. Especially perceived in the throat.
Negative Attributes
- Atrojado/ Borras : Typical of oil obtained from olives piled up or stored in such conditions that they have undergone an advanced degree of fermentation.
- Moldy-damp : Characteristic flavor of oil obtained from fruits in which abundant fungi and yeasts have developed due to having remained piled up and moist for several days.
- Winey-vinegary/acid-sour : Oils reminiscent of wine or vinegar.
- Metallic : A flavour reminiscent of metals. It occurs in oils that have been in contact with metal surfaces for a long time, during grinding, mixing, pressing or storage processes.
- Rancid : Characteristic of oils that have undergone an oxidative process.
There is a wide variety of extra virgin olive oils, which means many nuances for your palate to discover. What are you waiting for? Organize your own tasting at home, invite some friends and put these tips into practice.
Don't miss today's video tasting!
Pep Ribas, director and taster of Origen Oliva, together with the director of Castillo de Canena, Rosa Vañó, give their opinion on Reserva Familiar Picual extra virgin olive oil.
