How to taste
Taste it on its own.
The best way to discover an olive oil is to taste it on its own. A few quiet moments are enough for it to begin revealing itself - its aroma, fruitiness, bitterness and that distinctive peppery finish.
You do not need to know what you are looking for. Simply notice what you find.
01
Pour & warm
Pour around 10 ml into a small tasting glass. Cover the glass and cup it gently between your hands for 20-30 seconds. The warmth helps release the aromas held within the oil.
02
Swirl & smell
Gently swirl the glass, bring it to your nose and take a slow breath. Look for freshness and character - green herbs, cut grass, tomato leaf, artichoke, green almond, apple. There is no right answer.
03
Taste
Take a small sip and allow the oil to move slowly across your palate. Let it coat the tongue and mouth. Pause. Notice how the flavour develops - what arrives first, what follows, and what begins to linger.
04
Breathe
With the oil still on your palate, gently draw in a little air through your lips. The aromas begin to lift. What seemed subtle may become clearer. Stay with it for a moment.
05
Discover
Fruit. Bitterness. Pepper.
Three characteristics sit at the heart of extra virgin olive oil.
Fruity
The fresh, natural character of the olive - green and vibrant, or softer and more rounded. You may find herbs, leaves, grasses, fruit, or something harder to name.
Bitter
A gentle bitterness is a natural characteristic of extra virgin olive oil, often more pronounced in greener, earlier-harvest oils. It is associated with the naturally occurring polyphenols within the olive.
Pungent
The lively, peppery warmth that develops towards the back of the throat. Sometimes delicate. Sometimes unmistakable. This sensation is also associated with naturally occurring phenolic compounds, including oleocanthal.
So if you notice bitterness on the tongue or that characteristic peppery catch in the throat, do not be too quick to wish it away. There is goodness in that peppery finish.
What lingers
Trust your senses.
Stay with the oil for a moment longer.
Perhaps you found freshly cut grass. Green almond. Artichoke. A peppery warmth that arrived only at the end. Perhaps you found something you cannot quite name. Someone tasting from the same glass may discover something entirely different. That is part of the beauty of it.
We can tell you where the olives grew. When they were harvested. How the oil was made. But we would rather not tell you what you should taste. Notice what stays with you. That is Yolion.
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