Guide to olive oil tasting
, by Apostolos Magkoulias, 1 min reading time
, by Apostolos Magkoulias, 1 min reading time
Guide to olive oil tasting
The tasting of olive oil is an art that requires training and is characterized by complexity.
As with wine so when tasting olive oil, we evaluate the aroma, taste and the spicy aftertaste. We also understand the defects found in lower quality olive oils.
The quality of the oil seems from the smell and taste, and not from the color as people think. For this process testers use a special blue glass cup.
Cover the top of the glass and shake to release the aromas. Then we use our sense of smell to examine the aroma and intensity tone.
We take a small sip of olive oil while inhaling air. In this way the molecules are spread all over our mouth. We let it spread throughout our tongue and palate, and then swallow. The good quality extra virgin olive oil leaves a slightly bitter taste in the mouth and a soft spicy feel in throat. This bitter and spicy sensation due to elaiokanthali, a powerful anti-inflammatory ingredient of olive oil. Finally the flavors of a good olive mentioning to fresh olives and herb aromas and leaves, scents of nature enclosed in the juice of the olive.