All extra virgin olive oil is derived from cold-pressed olives, while standard olive oil is a blend that includes processed oils. As such, extra virgin olive oil is the healthier option as it retains more of the natural antioxidants and vitamins that can be lost during processing.
However, extra virgin olive oil is among the priciest items on supermarket shelves, with many brands costing over £25. Its versatility makes it a kitchen staple—ideal for drizzling over salads, forming the base of pasta sauces and sandwich spreads, garnishing soups, and, of course, dipping your sourdough bread into. To determine whether the most expensive extra virgin olive oil brands are worth the investment, I pitted them against eight well-known supermarkets.
Filippo Berio
Kicking off with one of the UK’s favourite oil brands, Filippo Berio’s extra virgin olive oil boasted a pleasing colour and thick consistency; however, it didn’t stand out in terms of flavour.
Priced between £12 and £14 per litre, there are certainly superior alternatives available at a lower cost.
Rating: 6/10
Il Casolare
This £16 extra virgin olive oil is golden-hued and packed with flavour. It’s remarkable how smooth it is—almost silky.
I appreciate its taste, reminiscent of olives and artichokes; however, I wasn’t keen on the peppery, slightly spicy aftertaste.
Rating: 8.5/10
Asda
With its refreshing hints of green herbs and tomato plants, this £7.38 oil from Asda was a delightful surprise, particularly due to its enduring peppery undertones.
It’s an excellent everyday oil that I’d readily use for routine cooking and dressings.
Rating: 8/10
Tesco
Despite not being the most affordable option, this £7 Tesco olive oil was arguably the least impressive.
It had a thin consistency and lacked any discernible olive flavour. It might be best reserved for stews and soups.
Rating: 3/10
Morrisons
This £8.40 variant from Morrisons was marginally superior to Tesco’s offering, but not significantly so. It had a more grassy taste than olive.
Rating: 4/10
Aldi
Priced at £6.49, the flavour was quite satisfactory, surpassing several other supermarket brands.
However, the texture of the Aldi oil was slightly too dense, resulting in a damp and soggy salad.
Rating: 5.5/10
Lidl
Given that a bottle of extra virgin olive oil is priced at £4.99 at Lidl, its quality was astonishingly good.
It boasted a robust olive flavour, although it was somewhat too thick.
Rating: 8/10
Sainsbury’s
This one from Sainsbury’s lacked the depth of flavour found in others and didn’t enhance my salad as much.
On the plus side, the consistency was spot on, ensuring my vegetables weren’t overly soggy.
Rating: 6/10
M&S
As the priciest supermarket brand of extra virgin olive oil, this £9 option from Marks and Spencer offered a fantastic texture. It’s light and airy, making it perfect for drizzling over any dish for an extra kick.
However, despite the pleasant first impression, the lingering aftertaste didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
Score: 7.5/10
Waitrose
I was pleasantly surprised by the delicate yet peppery flavour of the Waitrose oil, which was also smooth.
Its consistency is also less viscous compared to other oils, making it perfect for drizzling over lettuce. The only snag was its slightly steep price tag of £8.50 for a litre, although it wasn’t the priciest. It was certainly cheaper than the leading brands with Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil currently priced at £13.50 at Waitrose.
Score: 10/10
Prices are correct at the time of writing.
Dining and Cooking