How to Taste Olive Oil Like a Pro: A 5-Step Guide
Tasting olive oil properly is the best way to tell a great one from an ordinary one. Professional tasters follow a simple routine, and you can do the same at home in a few minutes.
What you need
A small glass for each oil (a wine glass or shot glass is fine)
A slice of apple and a glass of water to cleanse your palate
Two or three different olive oils to compare
How to taste olive oil in 5 steps
Pour: about a tablespoon of oil into the glass.
Warm: cup the glass in one hand and cover it with the other for a minute. Warming releases the aromas.
Smell: uncover and breathe in. Fresh oil smells of cut grass, green apple, tomato leaf, almond or herbs.
Sip: take a small sip and draw in some air through your teeth, spreading the oil over your tongue.
Notice the finish: feel for bitterness on the tongue and a peppery catch at the back of the throat. A good oil may make you cough.
What good olive oil tastes like
Professional tasters look for three positive qualities:
Fruity: the fresh smell and taste of olives
Bitter: felt on the tongue, typical of fresh, green olives
Pungent: the peppery sensation in the throat
Bitterness and pepperiness come from polyphenols, so a fresh, polyphenol-rich oil, such as our Early Harvest, shows all three.
Signs of a poor or old oil
Rancid: like old nuts, crayons or putty, a sign of age or poor storage
Fusty or musty: damp, mouldy or cheesy, a sign the olives were stored too long before milling
Winey: vinegary
Flat: greasy, with no flavour at all
Taste with us
If you're in the Canary Islands, look out for our tastings at hotels and events, where you can try our oils side by side. Back home in the UK, you can order every oil you tasted on our website.
Frequently asked questions
Why does good olive oil make you cough?
The peppery catch comes from oleocanthal, a natural polyphenol in fresh olive oil. It's a sign of quality.
Should olive oil taste bitter?
A little bitterness is a good sign in extra virgin olive oil, especially early harvest oil.
What does rancid olive oil taste like?
Like stale nuts, crayons or putty. Rancid oil is past its best.
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