How to Choose a Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 7 Things to Check

Choosing a good extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) can be confusing. Bottles may use similar terms such as “premium”, “cold extracted” or “extra virgin”, yet there can be considerable differences in provenance, freshness, flavour and production.

Rather than relying on the front label alone, here are seven things worth checking when choosing an extra virgin olive oil.

1. Look for a clear origin

Look beyond phrases such as “packed in” or “bottled in”. A good producer or retailer should be able to tell you where the olives were grown and where the oil was produced.

More specific information, such as the country, region, estate or producer, provides greater traceability.

For Greek olive oil, you may also see the olive variety identified, such as Koroneiki, one of Greece's best-known oil-producing varieties.

2. Check the harvest information

Olive oil is a fresh agricultural product, so harvest timing matters.

A producer that provides information about the harvest gives you another way to understand the oil you're buying.

Early-harvest oils are generally produced from greener olives and can have more pronounced green, bitter and peppery characteristics.

Read our guide to Early Harvest Olive Oil.

3. Understand acidity

Free acidity is one of the laboratory measurements used when assessing olive oil.

For consumers, the important point is that acidity isn't the sourness you taste. It is a chemical measurement influenced by factors including the condition of the olives and how they were handled.

Very low acidity can contribute to the wider picture of a carefully produced oil, although it should never be considered the sole measure of quality.

Olive Oil Acidity Explained: Is 0.2% Better Than 0.8%?

4. Consider polyphenol levels

Polyphenols are naturally occurring compounds found in olives. Their concentration can vary considerably depending on factors including olive variety, harvest timing and processing.

Higher-polyphenol oils often have more noticeable bitterness and a peppery sensation in the throat.

If polyphenol content is important to you, look for a producer that provides a measured laboratory result, rather than relying solely on terms such as “high phenolic”.

Here you can naturally introduce and link your High Phenolic Greek EVOO and its measured polyphenol result.

5. Don't be afraid of bitterness and pepperiness

A good EVOO doesn't necessarily taste mild.

Depending on the olive variety and harvest, bitterness and pungency can be positive characteristics. Early-harvest oils in particular can have distinctly grassy, green and peppery profiles.

The right oil therefore depends partly on what you enjoy and how you intend to use it.

6. Look at the packaging

Light, heat and oxygen can affect olive oil over time.

Choose olive oil in packaging designed to protect it from excessive light and store it away from heat and direct sunlight once opened.

A beautiful transparent bottle sitting beside a sunny kitchen window might look appealing, but it isn't an ideal way to store EVOO.

7. Look for evidence, not just marketing words

Terms such as “premium”, “artisan” and “finest” can sound impressive, but they don't tell you very much by themselves.

Look instead for useful information:

origin · olive variety · harvest · producer · extraction method · laboratory results where relevant · storage information

The more traceable information available, the easier it becomes to understand what you're actually buying.

Choosing the right EVOO for you

There isn't one extra virgin olive oil that's automatically best for everyone.

A robust, early-harvest oil with pronounced bitterness and pepperiness may be ideal for finishing dishes and for someone seeking a high-polyphenol EVOO. A more balanced oil may be better suited to everyday cooking, dressings and regular use.

At Purely Sourced, our High Phenolic Greek EVOO and Estate Selection Greek EVOO offer two different expressions of carefully produced Greek extra virgin olive oil.

Understanding what is behind the label allows you to choose according to quality, flavour and intended use, rather than simply price or packaging.