Are olive oil tasting bars just a trend?

Olive oil tasting bars may have originated in Europe, but their presence in the U.S. has been expanding rapidly over the past several years. There are estimated to be over one thousand such specialty stores and specially-equipped tasting areas in gourmet markets across the country. Instead of directly picking a bottle off a shelf, customers are able to sample oil “on-tap” (typically stored in traditional Italian containers called fusti) before making a purchase.