It is important to bear in mind that the tongue is only able to perceive
four primary tastes : acid -in the sides and the back, sweet - it is sensed
at the tip of the mouth, salty- at the edges, but not in the central surface
and bitter- only at the back. The other tastes are combinations of these mentioned
four. The peppery, astringent or bitter feelings are just tactile sensations.
For instance, pungency is not a taste, but a sensation perceived by the whole
of the mouth: it is in the throat where it is best perceived, and its intensity
increases with time.
Our oral and nasal cavities are internally communicated, so that when the
oil is inside the mouth it is still possible to perceive smells via the retro
nasal passage.  The aroma is made of the smells we perceive retro nasally as
well as directly. The flavour is made up of the olfactory, gustatory, tactile
and kinaesthetic sensations produced by organolepticas cavities.
In oils, the organolepticas characteristic are the joint sensory qualities
which reflect four main factors: 1. - the state of the olives, 2. - the olive
extraction process, 3. - the olive strafing process in the olive mill and 4.
- The stages the olive goes through until it gets to the final consumer. The
sensory chacarecteristicts of a virgin olive oil are the reflection of these
four factors
Olive oils must be tasted at a temperature of 28 degrees Celsius. The oil
is distributed in blue-coloured balloon glasses. The glass shape allows the
odours to concentrate and the temperature is ideal to release the volatility
of the aromatic compounds. The glasses are blue because in olive tasting the
colour is not important. Unlike with wine tasting, colour is not directly correlated
to its organolepticas characteristics.
As in any tasting, the final result is a combination of various stages: visual,
olfactory, gustatory, tactile and the grade of balance/harmony.
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