Olive Oil Tasting Terms

The International Olive Council (IOC) has developed a system for the objective organoleptic (tasting) assessment of olive oil in order to determine an oil’s quality and commercial trade value. This assessment method is based on panels of trained tasters recognizing the absence and/or presence of specific positive and negative (defective) attributes.

While the IOC assessment offers an objective method to determine if an oil has defective flavors or not, this method does not allow for descriptions of flavors because descriptive language is subjective. We offer the following terms, with positives in green and negatives in red, to help guide you through your own tasting experiences.

Red refers to undesirable, green to desirable traits.

Apple/Green Apple: indicative of certain olive varietals Almond: nutty (fresh not oxidized) Artichoke: green flavor Astringent: puckering sensation in mouth created by tannins; often associated with bitter, robust oils Banana: ripe and unripe banana fruit Bitter: considered a positive attribute because it is indicative of fresh olive fruit Buttery: creamy, smooth sensation on palate Eucalyptus: aroma of specific olive varietals Floral: perfume/aroma of flowers Forest: fresh aroma reminiscent of forest floor, NOT dirty Fresh: good aroma, fruity, not oxidixed Fruity: refers to the aroma of fresh olive fruit, which is perceived through the nostrils and retro-nasally when the oil is in one’s mouth. Grass: the aroma of fresh-cut (mowed) grass Green/Greenly: aroma/flavor of unripe olives Green Tea: characteristic of some unripe olive varieties Harmonious: balance among the oil’s characteristics with none overpowering the others Hay/Straw: dried grass flavor Herbaceous: unripe olive fruit reminiscent of fresh green herbs Melon: indicative of certain olive varietals Mint: indicative of certain olive varietals Pear: indicative of certain olive varietals Peach: indicative of certain olive varietals Peppery: stinging sensation in the throat which can force a cough (see pungent) Pungent: stinging sensation in the throat which can force a cough (see peppery) Ripely: aroma/flavor of ripe olive fruit Round/Rotund: a balanced, mouth-filling sensation of harmonious flavors Spice: aroma/flavor of seasonings such as cinnamon, allspice (but not herbs or pepper) Sweet: characteristic of mild oils Tomato/Tomato Leaf: indicative of certain olive varietals Tropical: indicative of ripe olive fruit with nuances of melon, mango, and coconut Walnut/Walnut Shell: nutty (fresh not oxidized) Wheatgrass: strong flavor of some green olive fruit Woody: indicative of olive varietals with large pits

Acetone: aroma of nail polish remover, associated with winey defect Blue Cheese: aroma associated with muddy sediment defect Brine: salty taste indicating that oil was made from brined olives Bacon: smoky essence that may indicate oxidation Burnt/Heated: caused by processing at too high a temperature Cucumber: off flavor from prolonged storage, particularly in tin Dirty: oils which have absorbed unpleasant odors and flavors of dirty waste water during milling Dreggish: odor of warm lubricating oil caused by the poor execution of the decanting process Esparto: refers to straw-like material in mats occasionally used in older mills that may create a hemp-like flavor in oil Fiscolo: refers to coconut fibers in mats occasionally used in older mills that may create a hemp-like flavor in oil Flat/Bland: oils which have no positive or negative aroma or flavor characteristic of olive oil; may indicate presence of refined olive oil Frozen/Wet Wood: sweet, dry, and untypical aroma/flavor derived from olives which have been exposed to freezing temperatures Fusty: anaerobic fermentation that occurs when olives are stored in piles too long before milling Greasy: flavor of diesel or gasoline caused by equipment problems Grubby: flavor imparted to oil by olive fly damage to olives Hay-wood: flavor of dried olives Muddy Sediment:barnyard-like aroma caused by olives' prolonged contact with dirt before or after milling Musty: moldy, humid flavor created by wet olives that have been stored too long before pressing Metallic: oils that have had prolonged contact with reactive metal surfaces either during processing or storage Rancid: the flavor of oxidation that occurs as the oil ages, often described as “stale nuts” Rough: pasty, thick, greasy mouth feel Sour Milk: aroma associated with muddy sediment defect Stale Nuts: flavor of oxidized oils, rancidity Unbalanced: oils with overwhelming flavors of bitterness and pungency Vegetable Water: oils that have been stored in contact with the water content of the olive after processing Winey: sour/vinegary flavor caused by aerobic fermentation of olives during processing (see vinegary) Vinegary: sour/vinegary flavor caused by aerobic fermentation of olives during processing. (see winey) Yeasty: aroma of bread dough; associated with winey defect