Which extra virgin olive oil is best?

Is there a difference between EVOOs and if so, which extra virgin olive oil is best?

Olives are the only fruit trees that contain oil rather than a juice, and like grapes have a wide variety of different cultivars. Each cultivar has a different aroma, taste and pungency in their oil. This can make choosing the ‘best’ EVOO a wonderful tasting adventure, but all EVOO’s are great for your health.

How Extra Virgin Olive Oil is Graded

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – meets all the chemical & taste parameters for EVOO status,
• Virgin Olive Oil – through age or other deterioration no longer meets EVOO standard,
• Refined Olive Oils – Olive oil that undergoes high heat with no health benefits,
• Olive-Pomace Oils – Oil that is defective and good for lighting lamps.

Extra virgin olive oil is the highest grade of olive oil. The processing of the olives ensures that the oil remains unaltered by heat or any chemical treatments. The process involves washing, crushing, malaxing, decantation, pressing, centrifugation, and filtration, without any additional treatments.

Choosing an Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

There are some elements that set EVOOs apart and this is where you can choose an EVOO that suits.

Quality and Purity

Extra virgin olive oil contains antioxidants and polyphenols in varying levels according to the olive variety and the timing of harvest. These are the wonderful properties that make EVOO so good for you.

Flavour & Aroma

EVOOs can vary in flavor and aroma, ranging from mild and buttery to robust and peppery, depending on factors such as the soil, olive variety, ripeness at harvest and the region where the olives were grown. Some olives that are grown in Australia include Arbequina, Picual, Frantoio, Leccino, Koroneiki, Coratina, Barnea, Hojiblanca and Kalamata. Here at Lisadurne Hill we grow Kalamata, Sevillano, Hojiblanca Picual, Frantoio, Barnea, Picholine, Coratina and FS17. All have distinctive flavour characteristics.

Acidity Levels

EVOO must have an acidity level of less than 0.8% (oleic acid) according to national standards. Variations in acidity can affect both flavor and shelf life.

Certification, Standards and Awards

Australian olive growers all strive to meet the standard required for EVOO status by adhering to a code of practice and oil analysis to enable them to carry an Australian certified EVOO label.

Hojiblanca 500ml bottle showing mutli-awards that have been won as best olive oil in Australia
Hojiblanca EVOO
Angus Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml bottle by Lisadurne Hill with Silver Medal for 2023
Angus EVOO
3lt Tin of Award Winning Lisadurne Hill Top Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Hill Paddock Blend EVOO

Lisadurne Hill Extra Virgin Olive Oils

The Lisadurne Hill olive grove is located in Rushworth Victoria. We are known for the quality and consistency of our extra virgin olive oil. Both our table olives and EVOOs have won multiple awards both nationally and internationally. Our premium extra virgin olive oil is the Hojiblanca and we also have available Rushworth Gold, Angus and Hill Paddock Blend (larger volume extra virgin olive oil).

For those of you looking for some of the best Australian extra virgin olive oils then see the tasting notes on our EVOO product pages and select an olive oil that appeals.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil should have a distinctive and pleasant aroma, good taste transfer to your palate with identifiable tastes and some bitterness and pepperiness to finish off. The pungency at the end is where all the best health benefits are, so don’t be afraid of the bitterness; it’s meant to be there. Our EVOO labels are all different so over time try them all and you will get to know what flavour profile suits you best for the way in which you choose to use it.


Kalamata olives in brine

Made At Lisadurne Hill, rushworth, Victoria, Australia

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