How to Host a Perfect Olive Oil Tasting at Home
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It’s a slow Saturday evening, a few friends or family around the table, candles on, someone brings good bread, someone else opens a bottle of wine.
Instead of just putting everything in the middle and hoping for the best, you say:
“Tonight we’re doing an olive oil tasting.”
No big speech, no ceremony. Just something simple, a bit different, and very, very delicious.
This is how we like to do it.
1. Choose 3–4 different oils
You don’t need twenty bottles. Three or four is perfect.
Think in contrasts:
- something soft and fruity (like an Arbequina)
- something fresh and balanced (Hojiblanca)
- something a bit more intense and peppery (Picual)
If you already have a couple of bottles at home, start there and add one new one to compare.
If you want a ready-made trio, the Andalusian varieties we select for Olivarium work nicely side by side.
The idea isn’t to impress anyone, just to show that olive oils really don’t all taste the same.
2. Pour small amounts in little glasses
Espresso cups, small glasses, wine glasses — whatever you have.
Label the bottom with a piece of tape or a tiny note so you don’t forget which is which.
Ask everyone to warm the glass slightly with their hands. It helps the aromas come out and instantly makes the whole thing feel more intentional.
3. Add bread, apples and water
You don’t need more than this:
- good bread (sourdough if you have it)
- a sliced apple or some cucumber to reset the palate
- water
That’s your tasting setup done. No boards, no props. Just a table that invites people to sit and take their time.
4. Smell first, then taste
Start with the nose. One oil at a time.
Ask: what does this remind you of?
- tomatoes on the vine
- almonds
- fresh grass
- green apple
- herbs
There are no right answers. The fun part is that everyone will find something slightly different.
Then taste. A small sip, let it move around your mouth, and notice what happens at the back of your throat. If one of the oils gives a little tickle or makes you want to cough once — that’s a good sign. It means it’s alive and fresh.
5. Turn it into a small game
You don’t need scorecards, just a bit of curiosity.
You can ask:
- Which one would you use for salad?
- Which one is best just with bread?
- Which one is “too much” for someone and “perfect” for someone else?
Let people rank their favourites. There’s always a surprise oil that quietly wins.
6. Finish with simple food
Once everyone has chosen favourites, bring out a few very simple plates:
- tomatoes with salt and the more intense oil
- burrata or mozzarella with the softer one
- roasted vegetables with the balanced one
- plain bread and oil for dipping
It doesn’t need to be a big dinner. Just a few things that let the oils do the work.
A small olive oil tasting like this feels a bit like a wine night, but calmer.
It fits the Scandinavian rhythm well: candlelight, simple food, slow conversation, a small ritual around something good.
And the best part: after one evening like this, nobody at that table will ever look at “just any olive oil” the same way again.