There are various brand names and house brands of olive oil on the market and sight is not the important sense when it comes to selecting olive oil for culinary use. You actually have to have a proper olive oil tasting session to determine what type of olive oil you prefer. Did you know that when olive oil is professionally tested, the colour is deliberately removed from the equation by placing the sample in blue glasses? Janice Johannes consulted Ben Visser, CEO of Olives South Africa, on how to conduct your own olive oil tasting session to help you choose a specific olive oil supplier.
Precautions
According to Visser, peppery and bitter tastes and, especially, off tastes and flavours makes the mouth very sensitive. Therefore it is best not to taste more than six oils in one session. If you start the tasting session with a strong and overpowering oil, subsequent oils tend to taste stronger than they really are.
Visser advises that it is important to screen the oils by their aroma before deciding the order in which the oils should be tasted. The milder oils should be tasted first, followed by the more robust oils. Oils with obvious defects should be tasted last.
Visser’s tip for refreshing your mouth between each tasting is to rinse it with sparkling water or by eating a slice of apple.
Keep in mind that perfumes, deodorants, sweets, smoking, beverages such as coffee, and food should be avoided for at least 30 minutes before and during the tasting. Also avoid washing your hands with perfumed soaps and don’t use perfumed hand lotions before a tasting session.
You should use a separate tasting glass for each sample and taste the oils in a clean, light and airy environment.
Tasting tips
Visser says you should pour about a teaspoon or 5mL of oil in a glass and rotate the glass to wet the sides fully.
Next, you should warm the sides of the glass with the palms of your hands to allow the aromas to escape into the glass. Then cover the top of the class with one hand to contain the aromas in the glass.
After about one minute, uncover the glass and bring the oil as closely as possible to your nose. Slowly inhale deeply two or three times in succession, making a mental note of the bouquet. For example, is it fresh or is there a trace of rancidity?
Smell
Visser says the first impression is often the most distinctive and should be remembered. Other aromas are then sorted and noted. A good quality fresh oil should exhibit a definite olive-fruity aroma first, followed by pungent, green and bitter (and other desirable) aromas.
‘The stronger the flavour of the oil, the longer you’ll need to wait before the next tasting,’ says Visser. ‘One or two sniffs should be sufficient to recognise a succession of smells which recall other familiar aromas. If necessary, repeat after about a minute.’
Taste
Now it is time to taste the oil. Start off by taking a small sip of approximately 2 to 3mL. Roll the oil over the tongue and around the mouth, distributing the oil throughout the mouth.
‘This is very important, because the perception of the four primary tastes (sweet, salty, acid and bitter) varies in intensity depending on the area of the tongue, palate and throat being stimulated,’ explains Visser.
With your lips semi-closed, inhale rapidly two or three times in succession to spray the oil on to your tongue and palate. The intake of air helps to release the volatile aromas, allowing them to pass up into the nasal passages.
Memorise the flavours and then spit the oil out. If necessary, repeat the tasting, but only after you’ve rinsed your mouth with clean water.
Rinse
When you are finished tasting the oil, spit it out. Clean the mouth with water and apples. This will enable you to taste multiple oils without compromising your judgement.
Note findings
Write a note of style, aroma and taste of the positive and negative attributes. According to Visser, good quality oil should have no defects.
Refer to the South African Olives’ Olive Oil Tasting Wheel for a comprehensive list of all the positive and negative attributes of olive oil.
