The best thing in life is a great olive oil… but how do you know if your olive oil is fresh?

When purchasing your extra virgin olive oil make sure there is a harvest date on the label. I rarely will consume oil that doesn’t have a harvest date listed on the label, somewhere. Much the same as the importance of knowing your food source, unless I know the producer, where the olives came from, how they were treated and when they were harvested I won’t purchase a random bottle of olive oil. Its not enough to follow information such as “best sold by” or “botted on” and don’t be fooled by a pretty label, an attractive bottle or advertising.

One thing to keep in mind is that olive oil is not wine. It does not get better with age. It is highly perishable and when not handled correctly it will break down and turn rancid over time. This often can begin in the mistreatment of olives during the harvest and milling process.

When possible, it is a really good idea to smell your olive oil first. When paying attention your very first smell will be very telling. With just a little bit of practice you can quickly smell a rancid oil. Much the same as when you smell an old bag of potato chips gone bad. It is very obvious when an oil is old, especially when comparing it to a fresh and delicious extra virgin olive oil.

Have fun with it! Over time you can build a reference library in your mind for fresh olive oil by paying attention to the specific smells of fruits, vegetables, spices and herbs, even fresh cut grass. Each olive variety and its cultivar, meaning growing conditions, has its own characteristics.  Paying extra close attention to the different smells and flavors in your food can build your sensory library for picking out specific characteristics in an extra virgin olive oil.  With a little practice it can be really fun.