There’s so many considerations when shopping olive oil. After all, certain blends are better suited for certain dishes and uses than others. In fact, many use multiple bottles of olive oil for different uses, all based on personal preferences. It's important to consider the below parameters, to ensure you're getting your hands on fresh and top quality olive oils.
Quality Parameters
Check for sensory descriptions and other quality parameters, such as taste raking (optimum rate is 10). For example: how is the flavour defined as - more or less fruity?
Production Date
Inspect the label information. Quality conscience producers will note either the harvest date or the production year, or a ‘Best Before’ date. Always check production and ‘Best Before’ dates and look for labels that show where the EVOO is 'produced and bottled' rather than just 'bottled'.
Labels may also contain certification seals placed on them representing that the oil meets a regional standard or has been reviewed by an independent authority like an IOC certified tasting panel.
How the EVOO is merchandised
Some retailers have the habit of placing olive oil in areas subject to lots of light and heat. Avoid oils that have been placed in the front window, or in direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time. In some cases, I have seen exhaust fans from nearby refrigeration equipment or HVAC vents blowing hot air right onto the product displays; be wary of oil bottled in clear glass. Quality minded producers will use dark coloured or foiled wrapped bottles, or will ship their oil in tin cans to minimise light exposure. Also, avoid oil bottled in plastic as it can absorb flavours from the chemical properties of plastic.
Colour
The colour of an olive oil does not correlate directly to its taste or freshness. The colour depends on many factors including the cultivars used, ripeness level of the olives harvested, blending process, distribution process for reaching consumer and even how it's merchandised.
Shop artisanal EVOO from trusted sources
For artisanal products, purchasing these from a delicatessen or retailer adept at handling olive oil or going to the brand directly like in the case of olive oil grown and bottled in Greece.
If you're looking to try artisanal Greek extra virgin olive oil
Shop AGERAS directly from our SHOP tab.
