Selecting the appropriate oils is key to understanding the dramatic difference each olive oil possesses.

Hereʼs what you will need

  • 4 wine glasses
  • 4 different olive oils - We would suggest:
    • Oleum Priorat Vitae - Spain
    • Castelines - France
    • FIG & OLIVE Frantoio - Australia
    • Marques de Grinon - Spain
  • Glass of Water
  • Sliced Green Apple
Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into each wine glass. Warm the glass by cupping it and keep the bottom of your hand around the oil to slightly warm it up, bringing out the fragrance of the oil. Cover the glass while swirling to keep in the aroma.

Smell the oil about three times, looking for some of these notes:

Aroma Descriptors Include: apple, almond, artichoke, astringent (a puckering sensation), banana, bitter, buttery, fresh, fruity, grass, green, green leaf, harmonious, hay, melon, perfumy, musky, nutty, woody, peppery, pungent, and rotund.

Note: Avoid oils that taste briny, burnt, coarse, musty, earthy, flat, or winey. That is a tell tale sign of being expired with flavor, old or poorly made. Although they will never negatively affect your health, they certainly wonʼt help your cooking.

Next, swallow and wait. Take two quick drags of air through your teeth to finish the tasting. You should get the oil's aftertaste in a few seconds.

You're looking for a fruitiness, “green” or “sweet” and a "green grass" or "leafy" smell, and also possibly some bitterness. In olive oil, bitterness is good. Ideally, you should get a balanced sensation of fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency, which tells you it's a good oil.

Now write down your notes and continue on the next oil. Eat a piece of a green apple slice to cleanse your palette between each tasting.