HOW TO TASTE

Picking a good olive oil is not simple. The world market is full of olive oils but only some are real Extra Virgin Olive Oils. Olive Oil can show a broad variety of desirable and undesirable flavors depending on the type of olive, region and terroir, maturity, processing, age, and other factors (about one hundred different factors may determine the quality of extra virgin olive oil). One of the most important aspects of olive oil classification and value determination is sensory analysis. Human sensory evaluation is much more accurate (about 100 times) for olive oil than laboratory equipment for certain characteristics. Aroma and taste are very complex and cannot be determined in the laboratory. The tongue can also detect texture differences difficult to measure analytically. The first and primary objective in sensory evaluation for olive oil is to determine if oils contain one or more of the defects that commonly occur in oils from improper fruit storage, handling, pest infestation, oil storage, or processing problems. Olive oil should have a fruity olive flavor that is characteristic of the variety or blend of varieties making up the oil. There should be no vinegary or fermented odor or flavor. The oil should also not be rancid or possess any other off flavor that is essentially not of the olive. The second objective of oil-sensory evaluation is to describe the positive characteristics of the oil in relation to its intensity of olive-fruity character. Bitterness and pungency are often present in olive oils, especially when newly made. They are not defects and will mellow as the oils age. The numerical sensory values for each of the first three grades (extra virgin, virgin, and ordinary virgin) come from a rating of the oil by a qualified taste panel that has been officially recognized by the International Oil Council. The majority of the tasters, usually 5 of 8, must agree statistically on the rating of the oil indicating the same defect, if any is present, and similar intensity for fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency.

Guidelines for Tasting Olive Oil

• Taste oil in mid morning
• Don’t eat anything or have any foreign flavors in your mouth before tasting (no smoking, toothpaste, gum, candy, lipstick, coffee, etc.)
• Don’t have foreign smells on your hands or body such as perfumes or after shave
• Find a room that is quiet and free of any odor
• Sit down, relax, take your time (5-15 minutes per oil)
• Taste about 4-5 oils and no more than 10 oils at any one time
• Cleanse your palate with sour apple (Granny Smith variety) and water between oils
• Use some sort of recording sheet that identifies date, oil sample, name, and attributes
• If possible remove the bias of color from your tasting by using a colored glass
• Swirl the glass with a cover on it or use your hand to cover the glass
• Warm the oil up to about body temperature before smelling or tasting it. It should not be cold or hot as you put it into your mouth
• Remove the cover or your hand and immediately smell the oil by taking a big whiff
• Drink about 3-5 ml of the oil, but before swallowing it suck in air and swirl it around your entire mouth for about 10 seconds. Swallow it, close your mouth and breathe out through your nose
• Immediately write down your impressions - first ones are usually the best

Positive Attributes (Defined by the IOC)

• Fruity - Set of the olfactory sensations characteristic of the oil, which depends on the variety and comes from sound, fresh olives, either ripe or unripe. It is perceived directly or through the back of the nose (retro-nasal).
• Bitter - Characteristic taste of oil obtained from unripe olives. Perceived on the back of the tongue.
• Pungent - "Piccante" or biting tactile sensation characteristic of certain olive varieties or oil produced from unripe olives. Perceived in the throat.

Negative Attributes (Defined by the IOC)

• Fusty - Characteristic flavor of oil obtained from olives stored in piles, which have undergone an advanced stage of anaerobic fermentation. Associated with an-octane, produced from the decomposition of 10-hydroperoxide of oleic acid and isoamyl alcohol formed from fermentation.
• Musty - Characteristic moldy flavor of oils obtained from fruit in which large numbers of fungi have developed as a result of its being stored in humid conditions for several days.
• Muddy sediment - Characteristic flavor of oil that has been left in contact with the sediment in tanks and vats.
Rotten olives lead to defective olive oil
• Winey-Vinegary - Characteristic flavor of certain oils reminiscent of wine or vinegar. This flavor is mainly due to aerobic fermentation in the olives leading to the formation of acetic acid, ethyl acetate, and ethanol.
• Rancid - Flavor of oils, which have undergone a process of oxidation and a fragmentation of hydroperoxides into compounds with characteristic disagreeable odors such as: aldehydes, ketones, acids, alcohols, lactones, furans, and esters.
Fermenting tank sediments that can cause the muddy sediment defect
• Heated or Burnt - Characteristic flavor of oils caused by excessive and/or prolonged heating during processing.

Here is a common classification of extra virgin olive oil that characterize flavors and food paring:

• Intense: Full-Bodied & Earthy. Strongly-flavored, big oils for those who like full flavor and rich mouthfeel. Can have a peppery punch as well. Best used with strong-flavored foods.

• Robust: Fruity & Peppery. More olive flavor, more verdant flavor, very often accompanied by a peppery aftertaste, Best used with pasta dishes, robust soups, or as a finishing drizzle.

• Moderate: Smooth & Buttery. Luscious, fruitier oils that retain a sense of delicacy; best used on salads, vegetables, poultry.

• Moderate: Fruity & Herbal. These are the herbal, grassy oils. One of the best olive oil because it is delicious on anything but especially with vegetable, pasta and seafood dishes.

• Mild: Subtle & Nuanced. Delicate, ethereal olive oils with complexity; best used for the lightest dishes, such as grilled white-fleshed fish or fresh mozzarella.