You find yourself in the store (self-service) and completely get lost in front of the shelf. There is a large variety of oils, especially in bigger supermarkets, and understandably you start wondering which olive oil to choose.
With the price dynamics over the last two years, for many people the starting point is the price, and whether there is a promotion at the moment. We trust known producers and good looking labels and bottles.
The truth is that common consumers know very little about the olive oil category and what quality olive oil means.
So, let’s take it from here:
1. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, OLIVE OIL and POMACE are the three commercial quality categories, found on the market. In the article “Pomace – yes or no,” you will find everything about these categories, their advantages and disadvantages. My recommendation is to choose the highest category, EXTRA VIRGIN. It is the pure juice of the olives, obtained only by mechanical means and without any additives. The extraction takes place at low and controlled temperature below 27C. And, most importantly, it fully preserves the flavours, aromas, and health qualities of olive oil.
2. HIGH-QUALITY extra virgin (here I assume you are choosing the highest quality category, which is EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL) has fresh and clean aromas when you bring the bottle neck closer to your nose. Olives, fresh herbs, freshly cut grass, olive leaves, leafy green veggies, tomato leaves and just-ripe tomato, dried herbs, and green or ripe fruit are recognized as positive aromas for a high-quality oil.
On the contrary, a sensation of rancid, vinegary, sweat, old cheese, acetone, mold, tapenade from over-ripe/ fermented olives, or cooked tomato sauce from over-ripe tomatoes are not good signs of high quality. Those sensations are associated with deffects and compromised quality.
3. A good extra virgin olive oil is pleasant to the palate,
creamy or fine, elegant. It does not leave a feeling of heaviness or greasiness. It creates an impression of cleanliness, lightness, and freshness, with greener or riper notes. The colour is lively and natural, with a palette ranging from amber yellow to grassy green. It has a mild or more pronounced PUNGENCY and BITTERNESS – essential and positive characteristics of a high-quality oil. A more pronounced spiciness indicates the presence of the invaluable health-promoting polyphenols.
In the article ” Olive Oil – 10 things we don’t know,” you will find more on the topic of Polyphenols and their benefits. They posses powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
An olive oil that does not bite or taste bitter at all is not a good indication for quality.
On the palate, you again discover natural aromas, similarly to wine, tea, and specialty coffee. They are completely natural and produced during the processes of crushing and malaxation. Thanks to over 100 volatile compounds, the characteristics of the olive variety, and enzymatic activity, olive oil delights with a palette of rich and versatile aromas. The sensation of over-ripe and fermented fruit, rancid nuts and old salami, an excessive sweetness are all signs that the oil is of poor quality.
4. Often, attractive and expensive labels (craft paper, gold elements) and bottles, an Italian-sounding name, and brand advertising mislead about the quality of the product in the bottle. In many cases, there is a discrepancy between the outside and inside – mediocre quality, a feeling of unpleasant greasiness and uniform aromas and flavours. Usually those are hints of ripe and oversweet, nettle left closed in a plastic bag (aroma, associated with sweat), vinegary notes, missing freshness.
Unfortunately, this flavour profile has become a quality standard for common consumers and they like it.
Here the question, which I usually ask is :”Fine, you connect those aromas and taste to a fruit syrup, for instance aronia, which could be pleasant on its own. Yet, would you drizzle your tomato salad or savoury dish with it,? What would be the added value it could give to it?”
Doubt about the quality is also raised by the origin indicated on the label, such as “ European Union origin/ and not of European Union origin”. There is lack of transparency and traceability of the oil’s origin and harvest year/s. According to EU regulations, shelf life is 18 months from bottling. Therefore, for the aforementioned blended oils, with a uniform taste of over-ripe and fermented fruit, with vinegary notes, etc., it is unclear from which harvest they come.
5. The expiration date and the harvest year are extremely important for the flavor and aromatic qualities of extra virgin olive oil.
Wine and olive oil have been friends since antiquity, but unlike wine, olive oil does not age well. I would recommend you to use it within 1-2 years of the harvest.
6. Neutral flavors and the feeling of fullness and greasiness may be related to the blending of olive oils with refined vegetable oils, such as sunflower, rapeseed, and others. Therefore, it is so important to always taste the oil when back at home and look for the above described must-have aromatic and flavour characteristics. Taste, Taste, Taste is the key to training the palate and nose. Natural aromas, freshness, cleanness and pleasant viscosity are the first indication of quality.
If we need to summarize what to look for on the packaging, here are the 4 most essential things for you to check on the label:
- extra virgin olive oil
- clear and specific origin – country/region (e.g., Product of Greece/ Italy/ Croatia/ Spain, etc.), or Croatia/ Istria, Italy/ Sicily, Spain/ Cordoba, etc.
- expiration date and harvest year are very important. For 2025 harvest, we look for an expiration date around mid-2027. The furthest the date, the fresher the oil is. Good producers indicate “Harvest year” on the label, complimentary to ‘Best before”. It could be indicated separately or added as last digits in the LOT number. “Produced at…” (producer of olive oil – extraction and bottling) indicates the authenticity of the oil and its short journey to the bottle.
On the labels of the Greek products it is mandatory to indicate the registration number of the extraction mill (EL + 5 digit number). It is very different when an oil is declared as “Bottled at”/ “Packed at”. In these cases, the journey to the bottle is longer, and we have in place bottling/ packing companies who buy, blend and bottle the olive oils. The lack of harvest year on the label is typical for these companies. There is no guarantee that the blend in the bottle is of one harvest year only.
- Dark and opaque packaging (glass, metal, flexible pack), and packaging size corresponding to the frequency of use is key. It is advisable to use the opened packaging within 1-3 months from opening to prevent oxidative processes.
