Olive oil: to many it’s less of an ingredient and more an essential fuel, like oxygen or water. Australians down an average of 2.1 litres a person every year.
While much of Australia’s olive oil has historically come from Spain and Italy, more than 20m litres are manufactured locally each year, according to the Australian Olive Association.
Though the industry has grown, Australia has been producing olive oil since 1870 – the South Australian registrar reported olive trees being planted and oil being produced by European prisoners in the Adelaide gaol.
Today, with headlines warning that supplies of imported extra virgin olive oil are set to dwindle due to poor Mediterranean harvests caused by the escalating climate crisis, Australian shoppers, more than ever before, will need to turn to locally made drops.
But with dozens of Australian brands on the market – including home labels from the major supermarkets – which bottles are worth splashing (or drizzling) out for?
I did a blind tasting of 10 Australian olive oils and judged them on their flavour, aroma and texture (or “mouthfeel”), as well as the colour and cloudiness of the oil (though international olive oil grading guidelines suggest neither of the latter points are an indicator of quality). I also took into account other relevant factors like cost, availability and packaging or pourability.
And so, after downing nearly our entire annual allocation in a single, golden afternoon, this is the good oil on the good oils.
Best overall
Cobram Estate Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Classic Flavour 750mL, $20 from Aldi, Coles and Woolworths, $2.67 per 100mL
Cobram Estate is a fixture in plenty of Australian homes and for good reason. This nifty golden drop with a pop-up pouring spout is the paragon of everyday oils. Vibrant, bright and full-bodied but without bombastic heat, it’s neutral enough to be used in frying or baking, but punchy enough as a finishing oil over steak or through pasta.
It balances sunny, herby freshness with body and pungency (that spicy kick in the back of your throat). An excellent oil.
Best value
Woolworths Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500mL, $7 from Woolworths, $1.40 per 100mL
Deeper in colour, more vibrant in aroma and richer in flavour than its Coles and Aldi counterparts, Woolworths’ home label entry has more punch than its price tag implies. Gentle aromas of wheatgrass, melon peel and black pepper carry through into a buttery texture, tempered with just the right amount of warming pungency. At just $1.40 for 100mL, this affordable all-rounder puts the “extra” in extra virgin olive oil.
Best splurge
Mount Zero Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500mL, $20.20 from Mount Zero Olives (online), $4.04 per 100mL
The most expensive of the oils on this list, Mount Zero also dishes out the most flavour and complexity. Pressed from olives grown in the Victorian Wimmera and Grampians regions, this single-varietal oil (in this case, frantoio olives) balances dewy grass and apple peel notes with sweet vanilla and the appealing bitterness of lemon. It’s perfect for drizzling over stone fruit, steaks, grilled crayfish and steamed new potatoes. The olive oil equivalent of a bottle of Grange.
Best for dunking
Goldi Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500mL, $18 from Goldi (online), $3.60 per 100mL
This relative newcomer to the olive oil game, sold in distinctive opaque squeeze bottles, makes some big claims across its social media advertising and packaging. And it delivers. The Victorian oil’s bright, clean flavour and gentle pungency is boosted by hints of tomato stem, rocket and parsley. Drizzle over fresh strawberries, use for dunking with oven-warm focaccia or squeeze directly into your grateful mouth.
Most peppery
Cockatoo Grove Organic Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Classic 750mL, $18 from Woolworths, $2.40 per 100mL
While pungency in olive oils is generally considered a sign of quality, in this northern Victorian oil, it verges on overwhelming. The subtle-as-a-cement-mixer pepperiness might be a bit much for an everyday salad dressing or weeknight bolognese but you could probably use it to make a classic steak au poivre without needing to pull out the pepper grinder.
The rest of the test
Red Island Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 250mL, $5.50 from Coles and Woolworths, $2.20 per 100mL
The lack of fresh, green notes in this oil means it won’t add much as a finisher; but its neutrality works best for gently cooking mild-flavoured fish.
Kangaroo Island Olives Extra Virgin Olive Oil Medium Bodied 500mL, $19.95 from Woolworths, $3.99 per 100ml
It’s the smell of fresh-cut grass that you’ll notice first; next, the vibrant olive-green hue, as bright as the label. But like a dull person walking into a party with a fancy hat, for me nothing much remained after its over-the-top first impression.
Squeaky Gate Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil The All Rounder 750mL, $15 from Coles and Woolworths, $2 per 100mL
Like the yin to Kangaroo Island’s yang, this odd little oil gives nothing away with its mild, almost benign aroma. Yet – like a Trojan horse for flavour – it manages to pack quite a punch on the palate. Use in a herby salad, over grilled seafood, in a fruity cake or any dish where flavour is important (but aroma is not).
Coles Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1L, $13 from Coles, $1.35 per 100mL
The butteriest of the oils we tasted, what this lacks in aroma, flavour or character, it makes up for in size and value. In other words, it may not taste great, but at least there’s plenty of it. Beyond price, it is noteworthy only for its un-noteworthiness and best kept reserved for cooking.
The Olive Tree Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil Classic Blend 1L, $10.99 from Aldi, $1.10 per 100mL
There’s plenty of hype around Aldi’s home brand entry into the Australian EVOO space – a lot of it coming from the bottle’s own medal-decorated label. Ultimately, this muted oil promised more than it delivered, with only faint hints of apple and citrus peel on the nose and a thin, mellow flavour. Though the cheapest entry on the list, this oil makes the argument that buzz doesn’t make something good.
