All extra virgin olive oil is made from cold-pressed olives, whereas regular olive oil will be a blend, combining processed oils in the mix. Extra virgin olive oil is therefore a healthier choice, retaining more of the natural antioxidants and vitamins that can be lost during processing.
However, extra virgin olive oil is one of the most expensive grocery items in supermarkets, with many upwards of £25. Extra virgin olive oil is incredibly versatile after all - perfect for drizzling on salads, using as a base for pasta sauces, in sandwiches, swirling on top of soups and of course dipping your sourdough bread into. To help you find out if the most expensive extra virgin olive oil brands are worth spending money on, I put them to the test against eight well-known supermarkets.
Starting off with one of the UK's most popular oil brands, Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil had a nice colour and thick consistency; however, in terms of flavour, there wasn't anything special about it.
Retailing for £14 to £16 per litre, there are certainly better options ahead that are far cheaper.
Rating: 6/10
Il CasolareGolden in colour and full of flavour. It's striking how smooth this £16 extra virgin olive oil is - silky, almost. I like this: it tastes like olives and artichokes; however, I wasn't a fan of the peppery, almost spicy finish.
Rating: 8.5/10
AsdaReminiscent of green herbs and tomato plants, I found this £7.38 oil from Asda really pleasing and surprising, not least for its persistent, peppery notes.
A great working oil that I would happily use for day-to-day cooking and dressings.
Rating: 8/10
Considering this wasn't the cheapest of the lot, this £7 Tesco olive oil was probably the worst one.
It felt thin in the mouth, and there was no hint of olive flavour. Perhaps this oil is best kept for stews and soups.
Rating: 3/10
MorrisonThis £8.40 option from Morrisons was a little better than Tesco's, but not by much. It's got a much more grassy taste than some of the other offerings, rather than olive.
Rating: 4/10
AldiComing in at £6.49, the flavour was pretty good, better than a few of the other supermarket brands.
But the consistency was just a tad too thick, and left my salad wet and soggy, unfortunately.
Rating: 5.5/10
LidlConsidering a bottle of extra virgin olive oil costs £4.99 at Lidl, I can't believe how good it was.
It has a nice, strong olive flavour, but I found that it was a little too thick.
Rating: 8/10
There wasn't as much flavour to the Sainsbury's £7 one, nor did it add much to my salad, as some of the others I tried.
But on the bright side, the consistency was perfect, leaving my veggies not too soggy.
Rating: 6/10
M&SComing in as the most expensive supermarket brand of extra virgin olive oil, this £9 option from Marks and Spencer had a great texture. It's nice and light, so you could drizzle it over any meal for an added oomph.
However, while the initial flavour was nice, I wasn't a fan of the aftertaste.
Rating: 7.5/10
WaitroseI was very impressed with the light, subtle taste of the Waitrose extra virgin olive oil, which was still peppery but smooth.
The consistency is also thinner than some other oils on the market, making it ideal for covering lettuce. The only downside of this was the slightly pricey cost of £8.50, but it wasn't the most expensive.
Rating: 10/10