Consumer advocacy group Choice has blind tested 30 supermarket extra-virgin olive oils, finding that many of the highest-ranked products are Australian-made, outperforming several imported Italian and Spanish options.
Top Performers and Tasting Notes
The top spot went to Italian brand Monini Classico extra virgin olive oil, scoring 88%. Priced at $22 for a 750ml bottle ($2.93 per 100ml), testers described it as an “elegant and abundant oil”. Second place was another Italian brand, Villa Rossi Extra Virgin Olive Oil, noted for its “good length of persistence with balanced bitterness and pungency”. However, at $35 for a one-litre bottle ($3.50 per 100ml), it was the most expensive oil tested.
Australian label Cobram Extra Virgin Classic ranked third with a score of 80. Costing $25 per bottle, testers praised its “fruity herbaceous aromas” and “buttery” mouthfeel. 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.”
Best Value and Lowest Scores
Woolworths Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil was named Choice’s best value pick, scoring 78% and priced at $9 per 500ml bottle ($1.80 per 100ml). Testers noted its “native mint and some meadow grass” notes with “nice balanced bitterness and pungency”. The average price of recommended oils was around $22.
At the bottom, Aldi Oh So Natural Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil received the lowest score of 60%. Priced at $8.99 per 500ml bottle ($1.80 per 100ml), testers described it as having a “low intensity of flavour”. The second- and third-worst were Monini Organic Premium Selection Extra Virgin Olive Oil (65%) and Coles Australian Extra Virgin Oil (66%).
Testing Methodology and Expert Insights
The olive oils were blind tested at NSW Department of Primary Industries laboratories in Wagga Wagga. Engel said the judging panel looked for “purity and freshness”, as well as fruitiness and pungency. 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.”
Of the 13 oils scoring 76% and above, seven came from Australia, three from Italy, and three from Spain – the world’s largest olive oil producer.
Storage and Selection Tips
To preserve quality, Engel recommends choosing darker, opaque bottles to prevent light degradation. “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.”
Barnes advises not to focus on colour, as it may “sway your perception” of quality. Instead, he said to concentrate on “taste and mouthfeel”. “Fruitiness, pungency, peppery characteristics, that sort of thing, should always be present in a good extra virgin olive oil.”
