Does pork fat oil give an off taste? There is some movement (backed with some literature) that using animal fats and oils are nutritionally superior to packaged oil (e.g., vegetable, canola). 

What is the expert perspective on using oil rendered from pork fat, say, from the fat cap of a cut of pork shoulder? I think it has some off-taste, however upon simmering in a dish that I used it for, it became unnoticeable.
I wouldn't describe it as an "off taste", for me it is the tasty flavor of pork fat, commonly known as lard. But yes, it is certainly not taste neutral. It only gives a slight to moderate hint in baking (e.g. in pie crust) and gets really strong when you heat it more, e.g. when you fry in it or baste a roast. 

For a comparison of the smell, think bacon.