We love all things 'olive' live here at Olive Envy, and the elixir thats is 'olive oil' is in abundance across our range and our home. We simply cannot live (or marinade and preserve) without it.
The variety of the olive plays a key role in its flavour, let us share some 'tasty tasting tips' for your culinary adventures.
To experience the true flavour of an olive oil, sip it “neat” – As in on its own. This will allow you to savor the oil’s characteristics without distraction.
The 4 “S”s of Olive Oil Tasting
Swirl – releases the aroma molecules. Hold your glass/cup, and swirl just like a wine. Keep the oil covered until ready to sniff.
Sniff – Uncover the oil and deeply inhale from the rim to just inside of the cup or glass. Take note of the intensity and the description of any aromas you can recognize.
Slurp – Take a small sip of the oil while also “slurping” some air in with it. This slurping action emulsifies the oil and helps to spread it throughout your mouth. You should take note of the “retro-nasal aroma*” as well as any hints of bitterness.
Swallow – Pungency is detected by a sensation in your throat so you must swallow at least a small amount to thoroughly evaluate it. If the oil makes your throat feel “scratchy” or makes you want to cough, it is a pungent oil.
*Taste buds discern only 5 flavors – salt, sour, bitter, sweet, and umami. All other flavor sensations come from retro-nasal aroma, which is the smell of the food while it is in our mouths.
Attributes and Descriptors relating to olive oil tasting:
Attributes are listed by how prevalent they are, usually listed from low to high. The three positive attributes of olive oil are fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency.
Fruitiness: The aroma of fresh, undamaged olive fruit in the oil, which is perceived through the nostrils as well as retro-nasally while oil is in the mouth.
Bitterness: A primary flavor component of fresh olives is perceived through receptors (taste buds) on the tongue.
Pungency: A biting tactile sensation noticed in one’s throat. Sometimes oils are referred to as one or two “coughers” as this is a common response to pungency.
Olive oils are usually listed on a spectrum of mild to robust; with mild olive oils usually consisting of low levels of the three attributes and robust oils mainly showing high levels of the three.
Descriptors can be subjective and help describe the oil’s flavor through vocabulary. This mainly relies on the taster relating the oil’s flavor to that of another fruit, spice, or similar item in their memories.
Positive Descriptors:
Green Fruit, Artichoke ,Cinnamon, Eucalyptus, Grass, Green almond, Green apple, Green banana, Green olive, Green Tea, Herbaceous, Mint, Pine, Tomato Leaf ,Ripe tomato Fruit, Buttery, Floral, Nutty, Ripe apple, Ripe banana, Ripe olive, Stone fruit, Tropical Other, Black pepper, Cherry, Citrus, Hay-straw, Other spices, Walnut shell, Woody
The best Olive oils to try - The FRESHEST you can buy. 💃
Most good olive oils have their “Harvested By” date on their packaging. We are lucky in Australia to have some of the best olive oil in the world for us to try due to our amazing farming and packaging technology.
Credit- Janet Rausa Fullers’ article in a 2019 Epicurious explains why: Why Australian Olive Oil Is Some of the Best In the World
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