1.  Get the olive oils you want to taste. We recommend choosing small bottles that hail from different regions and are made using different olives. This will allow you to spot the differences between them and to broaden your olive oil palate.

2.  Pour one to two tablespoons (15-20 ml) into the tasting glass. Hold the glass in your left hand and cover the top with your right. This will warm up the olive oil, causing it to release more aromas.

3.  Gently swirl the glass around in order to coat the sides of the glass and help release the olive oil’s aromatic compounds. Notice the viscosity (or lack thereof) of the oil.

4.  Pick your nose in the top of the glass, and inhale the olive oil’s aromas through your nose, and make a note of what it smells like. Is it bitter? Fruity? Strong or mild?

Some specific aromatic and flavor descriptors used by olive oil pros include:

• Fresh-cut grass
• Green apple
• Tomato leaf
• Herbaceous (fresh green leafy)
• Green or ripe banana
• Floral
• Buttery
• Nutty
• Green olive
• Ripe olive

There are also smells that indicate your oil may be low quality, or stale:

• Rancid: stale nuts, putty or crayons
• Musty: mildew or mushrooms
• Fusty: the smell of anaerobic fermentation, similar to decaying vegetation
• Winey: wine, vinegar or nail polish aromas from aerobic fermentation
  

5.  Take a small sip of the oil while inhaling, which will help you pick up more flavor. Make sure to sip enough oil to fully coat your tongue. Let the oil sit for just a moment, noting any flavors as you noted the aromas in the previous step.

6.  Swallow the oil, paying attention to what tastes and sensations that you feel on the way down. Pungency can be detected in the throat, like pep­pery sensation when you eat hot chilies. Pungency is a pos­i­tive char­ac­ter­is­tic of olive oil. That pungent, sharp feeling is caused by the antioxidant-rich polyphenols found in high quality olive oils. In certain olive oils, the pungency can be strong enough to trigger the coughing reflex. You may also notice some bitterness, which is a common note in olive oils, especially those made from younger, greener olives. Finally, look out for fruity notes, which also includes nutty, buttery and a fuller spectrum of green fruity notes. The intersection of these three elements — pungency, bitterness and fruitiness – is what gives each olive oil its distinctive taste.

7.  Clear out your palate with some water, or green apple slices, which is the traditional palate cleanser during pro olive oil tastings. Bread doesn't do much to cleanse the palate, but it will absorb some oil and give the taste buds a break.

8.  When you feel ready, move on to the next olive oil, compare their taste, and keep track of your favorites!