Yes, a good extra virgin olive oil can be tasted, and notable differences between them can be appreciated.
Olive oil has as many nuances as a good wine. Its quality can be evaluated by color, aroma, density, and, of course, flavor. There are also recognized awards in the industry that go to olive mills available in our store, and these awards are given by expert tasters.
The taster: the expert in evaluating olive oil
A taster is someone trained enough to assess a food product from a sensory perspective. A taster can guide us, but it’s important to remember that their evaluations are subjective. For this reason, professional tastings do not rely on a single taster but on a tasting panel to make assessments more objective.
Tasting is subjective, no matter how you do it
If professional tasters cannot be entirely objective, neither can we. You and your partner can taste your latest OrigenOliva order and reach very different conclusions. Biologically, two individuals perceive sensations differently and experience them uniquely, depending on prior experiences and training.
However, a moderately experienced taster can distinguish the age of the oil, the varietals, and even the olive mill just by flavor and aroma.
Before tasting olive oil
1- Olive oil doesn’t age; it loses properties.
Although tasting olive oil can be as sophisticated as wine tasting, these are not analogous products. Olive oil loses much of its quality from year to year. Therefore, we achieve optimal flavor and can appreciate more nuances if we choose a new harvest oil, typically around November and December.
2- Taste the oil in a clear glass
Although olive oil is not served in a glass like wine, this type of vessel is ideal for oxygenating the oil and fully appreciating its aroma. Additionally, the transparency of the glass allows better observation of its color and any possible impurities. Note, however, that many professional tastings are conducted in opaque containers to avoid color perception influencing flavor.
3- Once the olive oil is poured and before tasting it…
Make sure the glass is well coated by gently warming it with your hands and swirling the oil around the sides several times. This will allow the aroma to flow (similar to oxygenating wine) and lets you evaluate the oil’s behavior as a liquid.
If you want to know more about what to focus on during a tasting, you can read this article.
