Tasting Olive Oil

 

            Tasting olive oil can be a very similar experience to tasting wine in that they both require you to use all of your senses. As with wine, knowing the basics of what to look for and how to evaluate the olive will have a dramatic impact on not only the quality of the oils you buy but also on your enjoyment of these olive oils. The quality classification system for olive oil can be very confusing and to help explain this system we have provided a breakdown of each quality level. The definitions are from The Olive Source Website (http://www.oliveoilsource.com) which is an excellent source for all things Olive Oil.

 

            One of the most common misconceptions regarding fine olive oils is that color determines quality. While it is true that fine olive oils often have a more intense color than their cheaper counterparts, the color alone does not dictate quality. As with wine, color should be considered more an indication of style than anything else. A good idea when tasting olive oils is to use a non see through container to prevent prejudgments of the oil based on it color.

           

            There are generally two methods for tasting olive oil, tasting from a glass or with a piece of plain bread. Whatever method you choose, the key is to make sure that the oil coats all parts of your mouth, which will help ensure that you perceive all the components of the olive oil. You should focus not only on the taste of the olive oil but also on the mouthfeel as olive oils can vary dramatically in their weight. The aromas and tastes associated with olive oils can be numerous and it is a good idea to begin by focusing on the more common attributes, both positive and negative, as a starting point. Here is a list of those aromas and flavors most often associated with olive oil.

 

Positive Attributes                                             Negative Attributes

Grassy Bitter (moderate)                      Metallic

Hay                  Astringent                                 Moldy

Fruity               Peppery                                   Dirty

Almond            Harmonious                              Bitter (High)

Artichoke                                                         Burnt

Banana

 

Virgin olive oil fit for consumption as is (i.e. “natural”)includes: 

i)                    Extra virgin olive oil: virgin olive oil which has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 1 gram per 100 grams, and the organoleptic characteristics of which correspond to those fixed for this category (i.e. median of defects = 0; median of fruity attribute greater than 0)

ii)                  Virgin olive oil: (the qualifier “fine” may be used at the production and wholesale stage): virgin olive oil which has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 2 grams per 100 grams and the organoleptic characteristics of which correspond to those fixed for this category (i.e. median of defects greater than 0, but less than or equal to 2,5; median of the fruity attribute greater than 0)

iii)                 Ordinary virgin olive oil: virgin olive oil which has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 3,3 grams per 100 grams and the organoleptic characteristics of which correspond to those fixed for this category (i.e. median of defects greater than 2,5 but less than or equal to

1.1.2        Virgin olive oil not fit for consumption as it is, designated lampante virgin olive oil, is virgin olive oil which has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of more than 3,3 grams per 100 grams and/or the organoleptic characteristics of which correspond to those fixed for this category (i.e. median of defects greater than 6,0). Such olive oil is intended for refining or for technical purposes 

1.2              Refined olive oil is the olive oil obtained from virgin olive oils by refining methods which do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure 

1.3              Olive oil is the oil consisting of a blend of refined olive oil and virgin olive oil fit for consumption as it is (normally ordinary virgin olive oil) 

2.                  Olive-pomace oil is the oil obtained by treating olive pomace with solvents, to the exclusion of oils obtained by re-esterification processes and of any mixture with oils of other kinds. It is marketed in accordance with the following designations and definitions: 

2.1              Crude olive-pomace oil is olive-pomace oil intended for refining with a view to its use in food for human consumption, or intended for technical purposes 

2.2              Refined olive-pomace oil is the oil obtained from crude olive-pomace oil by refining methods which do not lead to alterations in the initial glyceridic structure 

2.3              Olive-pomace oil is the oil comprising the blend of refined olive-pomace oil and virgin olive oil fit for consumption as it is (usually ordinary virgin olive oil). In no case shall this blend be called “olive oil”