The EVO oil dictionary: the quality of the oil

In order to choose the type of extra virgin olive oil that suits your needs and to qualify its properties, we created an oil glossary, useful for helping beginners and non-beginners to master the oil vocabulary.

There is a real literature, which classifies oils and their positive or negative attributes, in order to recognize a high quality extra virgin olive oil.

General terminology: expressions, properties and oil quality

Oil Acidity: the quantity of oleic acid, that is beneficial for its antioxidant properties, present in one hundred grams of olive oil.
Sensory analysis: to define the positive or negative organoleptic oil attributes through the five senses (in particular sight, smell and taste).
Flavoured Evoo: an extra virgin olive oil with natural components such as herbs, citrus fruits and spices.
Blend: extra virgin olive oil produced from a blend of different olive varieties (oil cultivars).
Cultivar: from the English “cultivated variety”, it indicates the variety of the olive tree and defines the oil aromas and taste. In Italy there are about 500 cultivars.
D.O.P. Olive Oil: “Protected Designation of Origin”, legal protection to foods with characteristics of a specific territory.
Oil Extraction: process used to extract oil from the fruit of the olive tree. Extra virgin olive oil is extracted using mechanical systems.
Extra Virgin: extra virgin olive oil, in addition to being free from defects, is characterized by an acidity (oleic acid) of less than 0.8 g per 100 g of oil.
Flos Olei: is the most famous international guide with all the best extra virgin olive oils in the world, chosen by expert tasters.
Oil mill: after the harvest, the olives are transported to the oil mill, where they are processed to produce oil. An oil mill can be traditional (discontinuous cycle) or modern (continuous cycle).
Monocultivar: oil that derives from a single variety (or cultivar) of olives.
New oil: the oil produced from the olives of the new harvest.
Organoleptic Oil properties: typical characteristics of the oil, perceived with the five senses (fragrance, color and flavour).
Stripping: olive oil tasting technique, the oil is aspirated into the oral cavity to identify the aroma.
Virgin Oil: virgin olive oil is characterized by a free acidity of less than or equal to 2 g per 100 g of oil.

Aromas

Here are some positive characteristics that indicate the quality of the oil:

Bitter: taste of the oil produced from green olives.
Artichoke: fresh scent reminiscent of raw artichoke.
Ebaceous: typical attribute of an oil that smells of freshly cut grass.
Balanced: an oil in which fruitiness, bitterness and spiciness are in harmony.
Fruity: flavor of the oil that recalls the taste of a healthy and fresh olive.
Almond: oil that recalls the taste and scent of fresh almonds.
Spicy: pungent aftertaste, synonymous with personality and index of the prevalent presence of beneficial substances.
Green: taste attributable to both grass and leaves.

Faults

Here are the main attributes usually associated with poor quality oil:

Winey: flavor of an oil obtained from olives in which the sugars fermented, which is associated with wine or vinegar due to the formation of acetic acid.
Woody: taste that characterizes an oil that is dry and “woody”.
Sludge: typical negative attribute of olive oil left in contact with impurities for a long time.
Mould: scent of an oil obtained from fruits piled up for too long in humid and hot environments.
Rancid: defect of an oil left too long in contact with air and light.
Heating: typical smell of an oil obtained from olives that fermented.
Earthy: attribute of an oil obtained from fruits harvested with earth or unwashed.
Greasy: typical aftertaste of an oil that sticks to the palate.
Fly: serious defect characteristic of an oil obtained from fruits altered by larvae of the oil fly.