Andrew S. 122 ratings 0 comments

The finest French evoo I’ve tasted to date. I’d put it in the same quality of complexity as some of the finest Spanish evoos. Its smell is highly reminiscent of cut grass and tomato. Its body is moderate and tasting intensity is high. It’s highly complex. It’s very suitable for sipping and pairing.

(I purchased this evoo at a La Tarte Tropezienne in Saint-Tropez, France)

One of the greenest looking evoos I’ve seen. (Although I’ve seen dark green like this from Italy before) A pleasant taste with some spice. I’m not certain but it tastes mid or late harvest. It’s a fresh and fruity smelling and tasting evoo with a prominent note reminiscent of blackberries. Definitely a fine evoo to cook with. And if I was looking for a lighter evoo in tasting intensity, but still well-balanced, I would consider it for sipping. (I have a glass of it poured now while leaving this review)

Note that the bottle comes in a nice gold trim tinfoil. Once unpealed the bottle is bare (typical dark translucent evoo bottle look) except that the lid is labelled.

A likely later harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil that is fruity, well-balanced, and moderate in tasting intensity.

This evoo was purchased in a Maison Brémond 1830 store in Antibes. The store clerk told me that “Domaine des Bastidettes” is the family/orchard where the olives/evoo comes from. This boutique has a line of evoos from different families: The store clerk telling me, basically, it’s of smaller production olive oil producers.

This is an excellent evoo: It’s higher in complexity and tasting intensity so I would put in a “gourmet” category. Its tasting intensity is high and body is moderate. It has notes reminiscent of green banana, herbs and flowers. There is one noticeable note that is sweet and zesty. A fine evoo to sip on with friends, pair on foods and salads, and if you wish, add additional flavour to cooking.

I bought this evoo from a Maison Brémond store in Antibes, France. The store clerk said this evoo was made with darker olives and was good for cooking. The bottle also has an illustration of black olives, so presumably this harvest is later in the season. In inspecting the bottle more it lists (which is helpful for consumers) a harvest date: “11/2022”. So the harvest period is mid season. (Neither early nor late) i was told this evoo was that of the company’s versus from another orchard/family–which the company has some different offerings of. Hence, the identifier for this model is the oil mill they used which is located on the bottle where they usually put the orchard/family: Moulin La Fine à Volx.

This evoo is soft, light, a bit sweet and well balanced. I enjoyed it. Can certainly and confidently be used for cooking. Light notes reminiscent of ripe banana and freshly picked olives. Certainly suitable to sip on or pair for those looking for an evoo that is light. But for those looking for an evoo that is stronger with higher tasting intensity this isn’t the evoo I would recommend. A pleasant, high-quality, and well-balanced Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the Aix-en-Provence region in France.

A pleasant, well-balanced evoo from northern Tunisia. (Jendouba) Not one dominent note but mixed notes reminiscent of tomato, banana and flowers. Its body is medium and tasting intensity is moderate. Its bottle listed that it was cold-pressed. Fine to pair or cook with.

A light evoo in body. Light notes of olives and flower. The bottle notes lists that it was cold-extracted. I didn’t see a mention that it was early harvested. (A photo on the bottle is of three ripe / dark olives so that may also allude to a later-in-season harvest) It isn’t complex relatively speaking or high in tasting intensity but it is well-balanced. A good, clean-tasting evoo that would be very compatible for cooking.

An evoo that is a bit thicker in taste. (Although not an uncommon trait with Tunisian evoos) It has prominent notes reminiscent of ripe banana and nuts. Fairly well-balanced. Its tasting intensity is right around moderate. Would be a good evoo for pairing with certain snacks (crackers, cheese, etc.) and other foods. And of course it can be used for cooking.

A spectacular evoo from eastern Italy. It’s highly complex with notes of tomato, apple, & blackberry. It’s strong and spicy, but well balanced. Its body leans thick and its tasting intensity is high. (Purchased from boutique retailer Villa Paradisu at Ajaccio’s airport in Corsica, France, under a private label eponymously named)

A very spicy evoo that’s a bit buttery in texture. Its body is a bit above medium and tasting intensity is low. It’s lacking the tasting intensity, complexity, and balance that would normally have me continue to consume.

A complex, well-balanced and spicy evoo. It has a prominent tone reminiscent of blackberries. It leans on the fruity side. Its body is medium and tasting intensity high. It can be sipped on, paired, and of course, cooked with.

A nice evoo that has a light note reminiscent of banana. Very little to no spice. Overall, balanced well. Its body is medium and tasting intensity slightly below moderate.

A bit of a nutty smelling evoo. Well balanced. On taste reminiscent of mixed nuts and an undertone of banana. The body is medium and the tasting intensity is moderate. Similar in taste to other Corsican evoos I’ve tried so far, but with a slightly more fruity flavour.

A well-balanced evoo from Corsica. A shop owner told me it’s from the east side of the island. The evoo leans on the fruity side with notes that resemble citrus like oranges and nuts. Its body is medium and tasting intensity is moderate. There is one consistent note that I’m not sure what it’s reminiscent of that runs through all the Corsican evoos I’ve tried so far. It’s compatible for cooking.

I purchased this Tunisian evoo on the island of Corsica, France. It has notes of banana (somewhere between green and ripe), nuts and light oranges. Its body is medium and tasting intensity and complexity moderate. It’s pleasant to sip on but likely more suitable for cooking and pairing.

A complex, high-quality evoo. The prominent notes are white flower, tomato and green banana. Its smell is complex, its body is light, but the evoo still has flavour in the mouth.

Another nice evoo by Dominus. A complex and vegetal evoo with notes of tomato, green banana and cut grass. Its spice is present but on the lower side. It’s complex enough to be versatile: sipping, pouring on food and cooking with. Its body is medium and its tasting intensity is high.

A clean, vegetal-tasting evoo. Its body is medium and its tasting intensity is low, with a prominent note reminiscent of ripe bananas. The spice note could be smelled and was present. It could have occurred but it wasn’t listed on the bottle that the evoo was made from an early harvest, which may have contributed to it being lighter in taste. (Organic and cold pressed were listed on the bottle) Note that the pour is loose (the oil comes out fast) so this evoo is likely very suitable for cooking. The packaging, including its brand is very nice–Would look well on many kitchen counters. A nice, clean tasting, well-packaged evoo that is lower on tasting intensity.

A premium, sweet and floral evoo. The evoo I bought of this orchard was a private label for retailer, Sabor a España. Medium in body and high in tasting intensity and complexity. Its prominent note was mixed flowers supported with notes of tomato and ripe banana. It was spicy but measured. An exceptional evoo that should be experienced.

A premium evoo from the Jaén region in Spain. The colour is a rich green. It’s enormously sweet to smell with notes of chamomile and yellow banana amongst other attributes. On taste an orange (tangerine) note takes over with banana present in the background. It’s above normal in spice. Would be delightful to pour on certain foods, would add a sweetness to foods when cooked with, and is compatible for sipping. One of its largest assets (aside from its taste) is the thoughtful packaging—Resembling a perfume/cologne bottle. The unpackaging process was well-thought out too and functions well. The pour is near tight. (Not tight and slow but not too fast either)

One of the best Extra Virgin Olive Oils in the world. On smell enormously complex with notes of cut grass, green banana, tomato and herbs. Interestingly, the smell leans towards sweet versus fruity. The taste is excellently balanced—both in flavour and spice. (It’s spicy but controlled) Its body is above medium and its tasting intensity is high. An evoo like this could be paired with many foods.

This is a dynamic evoo. It has spirited notes of kiwi, citrus and other flowers and herbs. Its smell is very aromatic—leaning towards sweet. Its body leans light but its tasting intensity is high. It has low but present spice. A highly recommended, and fun Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

A well-balanced and soft evoo from Crete. On smell a buttery aroma of almonds and flowers. The body is light, the tasting intensity is between low and moderate and there is light spice. (Amongst other things) It pairs well with tomatoes and on sandwiches.

A unique and tasteful evoo experience from the island of Mallorca, Spain. Its prominent notes are blackberries and nuts with lighter, supporting notes of tomatoes and mixed herbs, including chamomile. The texture on this evoo was thick and hazy–The thickest and haziest evoo I’ve seen/tasted in Spain so far. (But not the thickest/haziest of evoos from the Mediterranean I’ve tried) (It’s worth noting that Mallorca obviously isn’t on the peninsula but is an island, so will likely have its own micro environment/climate) The spiciness is low. A complex and well-balanced evoo from the Balearic islands.

A nice evoo that is light and well-balanced. Its body is medium and tasting intensity below moderate. It’s low on spice but present. Its prominent note on smell and taste is tomatoes.

I bought this evoo in Athens. The store clerk said that the juice comes from 150 year old trees. The company is promoting the health benefits of their evoo on the bottle noting the high polyphenols and noting an official EU health claim. (with claim number) I think this is a smart angle on their behalf. The texture of this evoo is very thick and hazy. (Thickest and haziest evoo I’ve found outside of Tunisia to date) On smell and taste its prominent notes are nuts and ripe banana. It’s very spicy. Overall, it’s thick, complex and enjoyable. As I sip on an Americano in Athens I find myself wanting to sip more of this evoo.

A high-quality, very vegetal evoo from the Peloponnese region in Greece. Its body is above medium and its tasting intensity is slightly below moderate. It’s spicy and well-balanced. A way of summarizing it is it’s thick, well-balanced and vegetal.

A high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the mountains in Lesvos, Greece. I actually visited this orchard in the Fall ‘23 and was delighted to find the family’s product during an evoo hunt in March 2024 on the island of Chios. (Also in Greece) The prominent note is tomato with supporting notes of ripe banana and herbs. The body is medium, the tasting intensity is medium to high and the spiciness is low but present. This evoo can be sipped on, cooked with, or poured on a variety of food.

This is a high-quality evoo. Its body is moderate and tasting intensity is medium. It has faint notes of nuts. This is a soft, pleasant and well balanced evoo that can easily be sipped on.

A pleasant, well-balanced evoo. Its prominent note is ripe banana followed by mixed nuts. It’s slightly on the oily side. Its body is light to medium and its tasting intensity is low to moderate.

A pleasant evoo that has a prominent note of ripe banana. It’s a tad on the oily side so isn’t ideal as a sipping evoo but overall it’s of good quality.