How to Choose the Best Olive Oil: A Simple Guide to Quality and Authenticity

We know... picking the right olive oil can be an extremely confusing process.

There are so many options to choose from — and often, the olive oil you find in supermarkets can be fraudulent. So selecting the right one that gives you both quality and value can be surprisingly difficult.

Rest assured, we've created a simple guide so you can always pick the best olive oil with confidence.

1. Packaging Matters

Heat, light, and oxygen are the three biggest enemies of olive oil. Exposure to any of these can quickly deteriorate the quality, leaving your oil tasting flat or expired.

That’s why we always recommend olive oil packaged in a tin can — it offers the best protection from light and air. If you choose a glass bottle, make sure it’s dark-tinted or stored in a box to shield it from sunlight.

Plastic bottles may protect against light, but they’re not ideal for storage. Olive oil can absorb harmful compounds from plastic, making it unsafe for long-term consumption.

2. Check the Harvest Date

Freshness matters. Always look for the harvest date on the label — not just the “best by” date. If producers can’t tell you when the oil was harvested, chances are the bottle contains blended or old oil with questionable quality.

Olive oil is best used within 12–18 months of harvest for peak flavor and nutrients.

3. Know Your Olive Varieties

Just like wine, olive oil can be pressed from hundreds of different olive cultivars. From Koroneiki to Arbequina to Picual — each variety has its own flavor profile and use case.

If your oil mentions which olive varieties were used, that’s a good sign of transparency and authenticity. It’s also a great way to learn what flavor profiles you enjoy most — from grassy and peppery to smooth and buttery.