Tasting Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The best extra virgin olive oils offer, like fine wines, many different flavour profiles. 

Olive variety, climate, elevation, seasonal changes, terroir, grove care, harvest technique and skill of extraction… these are just some of the influences that shape the flavour of a beautiful EVOO.

That’s why every extra virgin olive oil you’ll find on Olivver has a subtlely different taste profile… from the herbaceous, tomato, pepper and punch of a picual, to the slightly sweet undertones, frutiness and almond notes of, say, a manaki.

For people who love food - and who doesn’t!? - these flavours are a world waiting to be discovered. 

The very best EVOOs have two characteristics to look for as soon as you taste the oil: bitterness and peppery spiciness. 

These are indicators of the phenolic compounds in the oil; the antioxidant superstars for health like oleocanthal, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol. 

As a general rule, high polyphenols is a highly desirable characteristic. (Some people pursue extremes in these, and it’s true ultra high phenolic oils are available, with over 2000mg/kg of polyphenols. But nothing in the narrative of extra virgin olive oil is ever simple: high levels of polyphenols don’t guarantee premium quality products, it depends on details of the production process. That’s where our skill at Olivver in selecting EVOOs for you comes in.)

Using premium EVOOs to make virtually any dish taste amazing.

The international circuit of olive oil tasters, award shows (there are many but some are more notable than others), chefs and commentators helps determine, along with our own experience, the very best extra virgin olive oils. Both chefs and home cooks should keep more than one type of EVOO in the kitchen, adding a huge range of flavours - fruits, spices, herbs, nuts and many more.

Different EVOOs elevate cooking. The same applies to dressing dishes - using your premium EVOO as a ‘sauce’.  Here’s a brief guide to how the different intensities of flavour work:

Robust extra virgin olive oils

Early harvest and high phenolic extra virgin olive oils are best to consume raw in order to fully benefit from all those wonderful antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, vitamins and fatty acids. 

For example, salads with tomato, leafy green salads, raw vegetables, boiled or steamed vegetables, meat and chicken stews, grilled & roast meat dishes (lamb, pork, chicken), pasta, pizza, tomato sauce, cheeses, legumes and soups. 

Drizzle them over your culinary creations to enjoy their green fruity aromas and take your dishes to another level!

A great example of a robust extra virgin olive oil in our store is this Don Gioacchino Grand Cru DOP EVOO by Sabino Leone of Puglia, which won Gold in New York 2024.

Medium intensity extra virgin olive oils

Salads with tomato, leafy green salads, raw vegetables, boiled/steamed vegetables, white and red meat stews, BBQ grilled & roast meat dishes (veal, lamb, pork, chicken, etc), fish soup & fish ceviche, pasta, pizza, risottos, semi-hard and smoked cheeses, legumes, soups, tomato sauce, chocolate desserts. Ideal also for cooking, shallow, deep-frying, stir-frying or sautéing

We particularly like this amazing extra virgin olive oil by Rincón de la Subbética for a medium intensity hit - and it's regarded as one of the very best EVOOs on the planet.

Mild intensity extra virgin olive oils

Leafy green salads, raw vegetables, grilled white and red meat, quarry, grilled & boiled fish, seafood, dressings for fish & seafood, soft cheeses, soups, sauces, confections, cakes, ice cream, yogurt and desserts in general.

Try this gorgeous EVOO by LIA of Greece extra virgin olive oil for a milder taste, yet still delivering on polyphenols and depth of flavour.