How to Taste Olive Oil

Why Taste Olive Oil?

Extra virgin olive oil is a premium product, on a par with fine wine or aged cheese. Yet few people take the time to truly taste it. Most consumers simply drizzle oil over a salad without pausing to appreciate the aromatic richness hidden in every drop. This is a missed opportunity, because proper tasting reveals unsuspected nuances and allows you to distinguish an exceptional oil from a mediocre product.

Methodical olive oil tasting allows you to assess the true quality of a product, far beyond what the label indicates. It reveals freshness, terroir expression, the olive varieties used and the producer's expertise. An oil freshly pressed from healthy olives harvested at the right moment of ripeness will offer a complex and balanced aromatic profile, while a defective oil will immediately betray its weaknesses on the nose and palate.

As we explain in our article on the Alentejo terroir, each olive-growing region possesses its own distinctive characteristics. Tasting is the best way to understand how climate, soil and olive varieties influence the final product. By developing your palate, you will learn to identify these nuances and choose oils that truly match your preferences.

The Equipment You Need

To taste olive oil properly, it is important to have the right equipment. The International Olive Council (IOC) has defined a precise protocol that is used in competitions and professional tasting panels around the world.

The centrepiece is the official IOC tasting glass. This is a small tulip-shaped glass made of cobalt blue glass, with a capacity of approximately 130 ml. The tulip shape concentrates volatile aromas towards the nose, while the blue colour plays an essential role: it prevents the taster from seeing the colour of the oil. Indeed, the colour of olive oil (from deep green to golden yellow) is not a reliable indicator of quality and can unconsciously influence the taster's judgement. The cobalt blue completely neutralises this visual perception.

If you do not have an IOC glass, a small opaque glass or a dark-coloured liqueur glass will suffice for home use. The key is being able to cover the glass with your hand to trap the aromas.

Oil temperature is a determining factor. The IOC recommends a serving temperature of 28 degrees Celsius (plus or minus 2 degrees). At this temperature, the volatile compounds responsible for aromas are released optimally. An oil that is too cold will seem bland and closed, while an oil that is too warm will release aromas that are too intense and difficult to analyse.

Finally, the tasting environment must be neutral. Avoid perfumes, strongly scented creams and soaps, and ensure the room is well ventilated and free of cooking or tobacco odours. For professional tastings, individual isolated booths are used to avoid any external influence.

The 4-Step Method

Olive oil tasting follows a precise four-step protocol. Each step engages different senses and provides complementary information about the quality of the product.

Step 1 — Observe

If you are using a transparent glass (rather than the official blue glass), you can begin by observing the oil. Note its colour, which ranges from deep green (early-harvested olives, rich in chlorophyll) to golden yellow (riper olives, rich in carotenoids). Also observe the viscosity by slightly tilting the glass: a thick, unctuous oil forms slow legs on the walls of the glass.

However, remember that colour is not a quality criterion. A green oil is not necessarily better than a yellow one. This is precisely why professional tasters systematically use the cobalt blue glass and skip this visual step entirely. If you have a blue glass, proceed directly to the next step.

Step 2 — Warm

Pour approximately 15 ml of oil into your glass. Hold the glass in the cup of one hand and cover it with the other, as if forming a small dome. The warmth of your hands will gradually bring the oil to its optimal temperature (around 28 degrees Celsius) and the volatile compounds will concentrate in the enclosed space above the oil.

Gently swirl the glass in your hand for one to two minutes. This rotation allows the oil to coat the walls of the glass, thereby increasing the evaporation surface and releasing more aromatic molecules. This is a moment of patience and preparation that determines the quality of the olfactory analysis to come.

Step 3 — Smell

Remove the hand covering the glass and immediately bring it to your nose. Inhale deeply through your nose, first gently, then more firmly. This initial olfactory contact is often the most revealing. First impressions are the most faithful, before your nose adapts to the aromas.

First, identify the type of fruitiness: is it green fruit (evoking cut grass, tomato leaf, raw artichoke, green apple) or ripe fruit (reminiscent of ripe apple, banana, sweet almond, candied fruits)? Green fruitiness generally indicates olives harvested earlier in the season, while ripe fruitiness reveals olives that were more advanced in maturity.

Beyond the fruitiness, look for secondary aromas: floral notes (maquis flowers, chamomile), vegetal notes (basil, rocket, olive leaf), citrus notes (lemon, bergamot) or dried fruit notes (almond, walnut). Aromatic complexity is an indicator of quality.

If you detect unpleasant odours (musty, vinegary, metallic, rancid), note them as well. We will return to these in the section on defects.

Step 4 — Taste

Take a small sip of oil (approximately 3 ml, or a generous teaspoon). Do not swallow it immediately. Distribute the oil throughout your entire oral cavity, over the tongue, gums and palate. Each area of the mouth perceives different flavours, and this distribution is essential for a complete analysis.

Next, practise the stripping technique, also known as aspiration: clench your teeth and draw air through the oil, producing a slurping sound. This technique, although somewhat noisy, is fundamental. It atomises the oil into fine droplets that coat the throat and palate, releasing aromas through retro-nasal olfaction (molecules travel up towards the nasal cavity through the back of the throat). This is when you will perceive the full aromatic complexity of the product.

Note the mouthfeel: is it fluid, creamy, thick? Identify the flavours: does the fruitiness you perceived on the nose confirm itself on the palate? Do you detect bitterness on the tongue? Does pungency manifest in the throat?

Swallow the oil and focus on the finish. Aromatic persistence (how long the flavours remain in the mouth) is a quality marker. An exceptional oil leaves a long, pleasant impression, often combining delicate bitterness with a pungent sensation in the throat. Bitterness in the finish is normal and desirable: it is the sign of an oil rich in polyphenols and antioxidants.

The Positive Attributes

Professional tasters evaluate extra virgin olive oil according to three fundamental positive attributes. The balance between these three dimensions largely determines the quality and character of the oil.

Fruitiness

Fruitiness encompasses all olfactory sensations perceived directly through the nose (orthonasal route) and through retro-nasal olfaction during tasting. It is the most immediately perceptible attribute and the most complex to analyse.

We distinguish between green fruitiness and ripe fruitiness. Green fruitiness evokes sensations of freshly cut grass, raw artichoke, green tomato leaf, green apple, rocket or olive leaf. It is typical of olives harvested early in the campaign, when the fruits are still green or undergoing veraison. Green fruity oils are generally more pungent and more bitter, with an assertive personality.

Ripe fruitiness, on the other hand, recalls ripe apple, banana, sweet almond, candied fruits, dry hay or dried herbs. It comes from olives harvested at full maturity. Ripe fruity oils are often rounder, softer and more approachable for uninitiated palates.

Bitterness

Bitterness is a taste detected mainly on the back of the tongue. In the world of olive oil, bitterness is a positive attribute, contrary to what many consumers believe. It indicates the presence of oleuropein and other phenolic compounds, which are powerful antioxidants beneficial to health.

The intensity of bitterness varies according to the olive variety, the degree of ripeness at harvest and the production conditions. Varieties such as Cobrancosa or Picual are naturally more bitter, while Arbequina or Galega produce milder oils. A frank, clean bitterness is the sign of healthy, fresh olives that were processed quickly after harvest.

Pungency

Pungency is a tactile sensation (not a flavour) felt in the throat, sometimes extending to the trachea. It produces a prickling sensation and may even provoke a cough in unaccustomed tasters. This sensation is primarily caused by oleocanthal, a phenolic compound whose anti-inflammatory properties have been compared to those of ibuprofen in scientific studies.

Pungency is a direct marker of the oil's antioxidant content. A very pungent oil is rich in polyphenols and therefore has superior preservation potential and greater nutritional benefits. Pungency naturally diminishes over time as polyphenols oxidise: a very pungent oil is therefore a fresh oil.

The balance between fruitiness, bitterness and pungency is the key to a great quality olive oil. An oil where fruitiness dominates broadly with balanced bitterness and pungency will be pleasant and complex. An oil where one of these attributes overwhelms the others may be interesting but will be less harmonious.

Defects to Recognise

Unlike the positive attributes we have just described, defects are undesirable sensations that reveal problems during the harvesting, transport, processing or storage of olives and oil. An oil with defects cannot be classified as extra virgin, regardless of its chemical acidity.

Rancidity is the most common defect. It results from the oxidation of the oil through contact with air, light or heat. Rancid oil has an odour of wax, crayon, oil paint or putty. On the palate, it leaves an unpleasant, greasy, heavy sensation. This is an irreversible defect that worsens over time. To avoid it, consult our guide on storing olive oil.

Musty (musty-humid) is caused by the development of moulds and yeasts on olives stored for too long in humid conditions before milling. The oil has a smell of damp cellar, mushroom or wet earth. This defect reveals a serious problem in the production chain.

Winey (vinegary) results from aerobic fermentation of the olives. When olives are damaged or stored in piles for too long before pressing, bacteria and yeasts cause fermentation that produces acetic acid and ethyl acetate. The oil smells of vinegar or turned wine.

Metallic is a defect that appears when the oil has been in prolonged contact with reactive metallic surfaces (iron, copper) during production or storage. The oil has a taste of metal or coins, unpleasant and persistent.

It is important not to confuse defects with positive attributes. Bitterness, even intense bitterness, is not a defect. Pungency, even if it provokes a cough, is not a defect. These sensations are, on the contrary, signs of a fresh oil rich in antioxidants. Defects are always unpleasant olfactory or gustatory sensations that can be distinguished from positive attributes with a little practice.

Our Oil's Profile

Our extra virgin olive oil is produced in the Alentejo region of Portugal, from carefully selected indigenous varieties. This unique terroir, with its clay-limestone soils, hot and dry Mediterranean climate, and generous sunshine, gives our oil a distinctive and recognisable character.

On tasting, our oil presents a medium-intensity green fruitiness, with distinct notes of freshly cut grass, olive leaf and green apple, with nuances of aromatic herbs.

On the palate, the bitterness is moderate and perfectly integrated, never becoming aggressive. It provides structure and depth to the whole. The pungency is medium, reflecting a good content of polyphenols and oleocanthal. It manifests firmly in the throat, with a peppery warmth that lingers pleasantly.

Detailed tasting notes for our oil: fresh grass, olive leaf, green apple and aromatic herbs, with a peppery, with a long and complex finish. It is an oil of character, ideal for dressing salads, grilled vegetables, fish or simply good fresh bread.

To discover our oil and place an order, visit our dedicated olive oil page.

"Tasting olive oil is like opening a window onto the terroir, the climate and the producer's expertise. Each oil tells a unique story that only an attentive palate can decipher."