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Olive Oil Tasting

Virgin olive oil has certain aromas and flavours that come from the weather conditions of the zone in which it is produced, the water composition, soil type, sun, time and method of harvesting, and production method used.

Olive oil starts to take on a mature flavour approximately one year after it has been made, although this change can be delayed if it is protected from the light and air.

Virgin olive oil has a naturally slightly opaque appearance. It is filtered as little as possible to preserve all its properties, and this is why sediment settles at the bottom of the bottle in the course of time. The following factors are analysed when assessing the quality of olive oil:

• Appearance

The oil’s colour and appearance is evaluated. A good oil will present a clean filtered, decanted appearance, with slight opalescence. Oil with a dirty or dark appearance is considered as defective. With regard to colour, oil has a good colour if it ranges between straw yellow, golden yellow, greenish yellow, greenish, and intense green. Oil with an atypical or unusual colour is considered as defective.

• Aroma

Aroma is evaluated according to its intensity and is classified as pleasant or unpleasant.

The following are considered as pleasant aromas: a fruity smell of ripe or green olive, apple, green grass, fig or green leaf.

The following are considered as unpleasant aromas: a bitter or vinegary smell, alpechín (vegetable water), winey, rancid, rotten, fusty, musty/humid, capacho (the basket in which the olives were picked), or metallic.

• Taste

The taste analysis refers to the taste of the oil on the tongue and palate. It evaluates the intensity, flavour and quality of the same.

The following are considered as pleasant or good flavours: fruity, clean, fresh, fruit, bitter (but pleasant), healthy, sweet, almond, pine nut, vegetable.

The following are considered as defective characteristics: intense bitterness, intense spiciness, dry leaf, winey, sour/vinegar, capacho (the basket in which the olives were picked), stringy, reheated, frost bitten olives, musty or humid, metallic, wood, rotten, worm and rancid.

• Texture

The analysis of the oil’s texture is performed with the palate and mouth, and is measured in terms of the physical consistency of the olive oil. The following characteristics are assessed: doughy, liquid, aqueous, smoothness. Oil that has an atypical consistency or texture that does not match its habitual characteristics is considered as defective.

• Equilibrium - Harmony

This analysis is defined as the equilibrium achieved between the aroma and flavour. The oil can be classified as fruity, which means that its characteristics are similar to the class/variety of olive from which it is made; balanced/harmonic, which means that the oil has the best balance of aroma and flavour; and finally imbalanced/uneven, which means that there is significant predominance of a certain aroma, flavour or defect.