Consumer advocacy group Choice has taste tested 30 supermarket extra-virgin olive oils, and found some Australian-made oils rank higher than those imported from Italy and Spain. The blind test, conducted at NSW Department of Primary Industries laboratories in Wagga Wagga, evaluated purity, freshness, fruitiness, and pungency.
Top Performers and Rankings
The top spot went to Italian brand Monini Classico extra virgin olive oil with a score of 88%. Costing $2.93 per 100mL and $22 for a 750mL bottle, testers described it as an “elegant and abundant oil”. The second-best was another Italian brand, Villa Rossi Extra Virgin Olive Oil, noted for its “good length of persistence with balanced bitterness and pungency”. However, it was the most expensive oil in the lineup at $35 for a one-litre bottle, or $3.50 per 100mL.
Australian label Cobram Extra Virgin Classic – one of the more expensive products at $25 – landed third place with a score of 80%, described as having “fruity herbaceous aromas” with a “buttery” mouthfeel by testers. Woolworths Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil was named Choice’s best value pick, with a score of 78%, priced at $9 per 500mL bottle ($1.80 per 100mL), and described as having “native mint and some meadow grass” notes with “nice balanced bitterness and pungency”.
Bottom of the List
One of the cheapest oils was also the worst: Aldi Oh So Natural Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, priced at $8.99 per 500ml bottle ($1.80 per 100mL), received the bottom score of 60%, with testers describing it as having a “low intensity of flavour”. The second- and third-worst oils were the Monini Organic Premium Selection Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Coles Australian Extra Virgin Oil, scoring 65% and 66% respectively.
Expert Insights on Quality
Pru Engel, Choice audience and engagement editor, said: “A lot of Australians are after local products, and there are a lot of Australian olive oil makers that have built quite a good reputation.” Of the 13 oils that scored 76% and above, seven came from Australia, three from Italy, and three from Spain – the world's largest olive oil producer.
Choice’s product review manager, Chris Barnes, explained that a “bad” olive oil has “basic” flavours and lacks boldness. “There is actually a specific standard when it comes to professional taste testing extra virgin olive oil … there’s chemical tests plus a specific taste test and sensory perception test, which is why we used the lab.”
Storage and Selection Tips
To preserve quality, Engel recommends choosing dark, opaque bottles to prevent light from degrading the oil. “When storing olive oil, it should always be in a cool, dark place like your pantry. Don’t refrigerate it. A lot of people buy a big bottle of olive oil and then decant them into smaller bottles, and if you’re going to do that just ensure you are using airtight containers to avoid any contact with air or sunlight.”
As for colour, Barnes advises not to be swayed by green or golden hues, as it may distort perception of quality. Instead, focus on “taste and mouthfeel”. “Fruitiness, pungency, peppery characteristics, that sort of thing, should always be present in a good extra virgin olive oil.”
