A solid grasp of olive oil terminology—along with the ability to recognize its positive traits (such as fruitiness, sweet or green notes, almond or artichoke flavours) and its flaws or undesirable characteristics (such as fusty, rancid, or sediment)—is essential for any olive oil taster, and increasingly expected of informed consumers.

Developing this knowledge requires patience and repeated tasting to memorize specific sensations and accurately associate them with their descriptive terms.

From the aroma of vegetation water to the scent of worm-infested olives, more than 30 commonly used terms help describe the complex profile of olive oil. Its qualities and defects can be influenced by numerous factors, including:
• olive variety,
• geographic origin,
• climate conditions,
• degree of olive ripeness,
• harvesting methods,
• time and condition of olive storage,
• extraction techniques,
• oil storage methods,
• overall cleanliness and hygiene,
• malaxation time and temperature,
• treatments applied to the trees and soil.