Kalamata olives are classified as a black olive, but are not the black olives you commonly think of. Black olives are grown many places and are smaller in size and appear darker than Kalamatas, which are grown in one area of Greece. Black olives have a salty bite to them and are a little chewier. The taste of a Kalamata olive is still tangy like other olives yet slightly fruity. They are soft and come away from the stone easily, almost falling apart before you bite into them. .