How to Taste Olive Oil Like a Pro (Without the Coughing Fit!) 

Tasting Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a little like tasting fine wine — it’s about slowing down, using your senses, and letting the flavours tell their story. But if you’ve ever seen professional tasters or sommeliers at work, you’ll notice something unusual — that loud slurping sound. 

That’s called the stripping method, and it’s how professionals pull air across the oil to explode its aroma and flavour inside the mouth. It helps us detect even the tiniest defects or subtle notes of fruit, spice, and bitterness. But fair warning — for most people, this technique can crank up the intensity so much it sends you into a coughing fit! 

So here’s how to taste like a pro, but enjoy it like a normal human: 

1. Pour a little EVOO into a small cup or glass — about a tablespoon. 

2. Cover it with your hand and gently swirl it in your palm for 30 seconds. This warms the oil to room temperature, releasing its natural aromas. 

3. Uncover and inhale — take a moment to breathe in the fresh, grassy, fruity notes. That’s the smell of real, living oil. 

4. Take a sip and roll it around your mouth for about 10 seconds. Let it coat your tongue and cheeks — this is where the flavours come alive. 

5. Swallow slowly, and notice the gentle bitterness or peppery finish. That little tickle in your throat? That’s the polyphenols — nature’s antioxidants — doing their thing. 

Premium EVOO should make you feel something — vibrant, alive, and connected to the grove it came from. Each bottle tells a story through its aroma, taste, and the way it lingers on your palate. 

So next time you pour a little over your favourite dish, take a second to taste it first — savour it, smell it, and celebrate it. Because once you know what good oil really tastes like, there’s no going back.