THE CINQUE JOURNAL · GREEK OLIVE OIL

What You Discover at a Greek Olive Oil Tasting

A Greek olive oil tasting gives you time to notice an ingredient you may use every day. Through aroma, flavour and simple food comparisons, you begin to understand how different extra virgin olive oils can change the way you enjoy a meal.

Start with what you can smell

Before reaching for bread, take a moment with the olive oil itself. Follow your host’s guidance, smell the sample and describe what comes to mind in your own words.

You do not need a perfect tasting vocabulary. Comparing samples helps you notice differences that are easy to miss when an oil is already mixed into a dish.

Three words that make tasting easier

Fruitiness, bitterness and pungency are three useful terms for understanding virgin olive oil:

  • Fruitiness describes aromas associated with sound, fresh olives, whether green or ripe.
  • Bitterness is a taste associated with oils made from green olives or olives beginning to ripen.
  • Pungency is a peppery sensation that can be especially noticeable in the throat.

The International Olive Council recognises these as positive sensory attributes. An oil’s bitter or peppery character is not, by itself, a fault. The aim of an introductory tasting is to recognise the sensations and compare their intensity.

Compare four Greek extra virgin olive oils

Cinque’s Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tasting includes four oils from different Greek regions, presented in professional olive oil tasting glasses.

The team introduces their aroma and flavour profiles, regional backgrounds and production, with maps and tasting guidance to support the conversation. You can ask questions as you explore the samples.

Discover what changes with food

Next, the comparison moves to the table. The introductory experience includes bread, cherry tomatoes, feta and three types of Greek olives.

Try noticing how the same ingredient tastes with a different oil. Which combination do you prefer? Does one oil feel more prominent, while another leaves more room for the food? These are useful observations to bring back to your own kitchen.

Choose a tasting or explore a whole meal

For an introduction centred on comparing oils, start with the four-oil tasting. If you would like to explore olive oil through a meal, The Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil Journey at Cinque Monastiraki pairs four Greek oils with four dishes over approximately two hours.

That experience takes the idea from bread and salad to smoked pork and an olive oil pairing with ice cream. Each format offers a different way to explore the ingredient.

Four Greek extra virgin olive oils with bread, salad, smoked pork and ice cream at Cinque.
The Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil Journey: four oils paired with four dishes at Cinque Monastiraki.

Plan your olive oil tasting in Athens

No previous knowledge is needed for the introductory tasting. Bring your curiosity and tell the team about any food allergies or dietary requirements before booking.

To visit Cinque Monastiraki, choose that location on the booking page where a location selector is provided, and check the available dates, times and current inclusions.

Explore the Olive Oil Tasting

Sensory terminology: International Olive Council — method for the organoleptic assessment of virgin olive oil.