A blind taste test of 22 supermarket olives has crowned Sandhurst Sicilian Whole Green Olives as the standout winner, with tasters praising their 'depth of flavour' and comparing them to 'rolling down a flower meadow'. The test, conducted by Nicholas Jordan and 15 friends, evaluated olives across green, purple, and black varieties for appearance, texture, and taste.
The green olive round was dominated by Sandhurst Sicilian Whole Green Olives, priced at $4 for 280g. Reviewers described them as having notes of green tea, artichokes, and white cheese, with one taster remarking, 'I want to draw a still-life painting of these and compose a thesis on their depth of flavour.' However, three dissenting tasters mentioned medicinal or carpet-like flavours.
In the purple olive category, no single product stood out. Ceres Organics Kalamata Olives ($10 for 320g) and Macro Organic Whole Kalamata Olives ($3.30 for 350g) tied as winners. The Ceres olives were described as 'strong, salty but kind of straight shooting', though texturally inconsistent. Macro's olives, with half the sodium of competitors, were praised as 'balanced, funky, and unapologetically olivey'.
Deli Originals' Whole Kalamata Olives from Aldi ($2.49 for 350g) were deemed 'salty, sour, and uncomplicated', ideal for cooking rather than serving to guests. Muraca Whole Italian Large Olives ($8.95 for 580g) were noted for their unusual size and 'juicy, meaty texture', with one taster saying they 'stick out into their own territory'.
The test also highlighted the worst olive, though the article does not name it explicitly, noting that the worst was far beyond typical imagination. Overall, the test emphasised that while premium olives offer nuanced flavours, budget options can still deliver satisfactory results for cooking.
