For a careful evaluation of the quality of the real balsamic vinegar of Modena

Important, to make a reliable assessment, at room temperature, not having swallowed, recently, foods of particularly intense and persistent flavor such as garlic, Onion, coffee, etc. and not to have used scented soaps or cosmetics, even on the hands, to allow a normal and complete reliable evaluation of the organoleptic characteristics of balsamic vinegar. The three visual assessments, olfactory and taste must be considered an end in themselves, Independent, to avoid conditioning or interference between them that could only compromise an objective and reliable assessment.

To proceed with the exam it is necessary to have at your disposal a glass container, traditionally the flask, a neutral white candle and a teaspoon of plastic but the usual coffee spoons should never be used because the surface treatment could be affected by the acidity of the tasting product and alter its aromas.
If you are then expected to taste different vinegars you need to, between one product and the next, ingest a bite of unsalted bread or crackers and rinse your mouth with natural water.

Visual evaluation of balsamic vinegar

We start the evaluation by analyzing the vinegar for the visual aspects in relation to the degree of syrupiness that manifests, in the light of the candle, sliding it on the inner wall of the glass container transparent to leave that so-called shirt, smooth and syrupy, that must be of loaded and shiny brown color. The ideal container has always been the flask, but it could also be a wide liquor shot at the base and reduced to the mouthpiece.

 

Olfactory evaluation of balsamic vinegar

We then move on to the olfactory evaluation, approaching the matraccio to the nose, to check if the vinegar manifests those characteristic aromas of balsamic vinegar through the necessary Frankness, the Finesse, the intensity and acidity. One blend of perfumes without defects but full of balsamic characteristics released by the musts used and the woods with which the barrels used for the different stages of preparation and aging of cooked musts.

Taste evaluation of balsamic vinegar

And finally you finally get to the taste rating to see if theVinegar contains all those characteristics necessary to define balsamico, through that harmonic body that you have to find in the Fullness, in the intensity, in Flavor, in harmony and in acidity through a Balance that our taste buds perceive with Satisfaction.

At this point it should be remembered that, being this final assessment, valued through the personal taste buds, we should not be surprised if the final considerations between different people, they're not uniform, or shareable.

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