Professional olive oil tasters use a simple routine, and you can do it at your kitchen table with a spoon or a small glass.
What you need
A small glass or cup (pros use blue glasses so color doesn't bias them), your olive oil, some green apple slices, and water to cleanse your palate between oils.
Step 1: Warm it
Pour about a tablespoon into the glass. Cup it in one hand and cover the top with the other. Swirl for 30 seconds to warm the oil and release the aroma.
Step 2: Smell it
Uncover and take a deep sniff. Fresh oil smells green and fruity: cut grass, herbs, tomato leaf, green apple, artichoke, or ripe fruit.
Step 3: Slurp it
Sip a small amount and "strip" it: suck in air through your teeth as the oil coats your mouth. It's noisy, and that's okay. It spreads the oil across your palate.
Step 4: Notice the finish
Swallow. Do you feel a peppery tickle in your throat? Some people cough. That sensation, called pungency, along with bitterness, is a hallmark of fresh, high-quality extra virgin olive oil.
The three good things: fruity, bitter, pungent
Official olive oil tasting recognizes three positive attributes:
- Fruity: fresh olive aromas, green or ripe
- Bitter: felt on the tongue, especially with early-harvest oil
- Pungent: the peppery bite in your throat
Flavors that mean something's wrong
- Rancid: crayons, putty, or stale nuts (old or oxidized oil)
- Fusty or muddy: fermented olives that sat too long before pressing
- Musty: damp or moldy
- Winey or vinegary: fermentation
Host a tasting
Line up 3 oils: ours, a supermarket brand, and one more. Taste from mildest to boldest and vote on a favorite. It's a fun dinner party starter.
Try our robust, peppery California EVOO →