BarianiExtra Virgin Olive Oil, 16.9 OZ

I would give 10 stars if I could! I've been looking for real olive oil for awhile now and stumbled upon this brand in my search.I usually use California ranch, and while it's a fine oil, and a genuine oil, I wanted the bite of minimally processed oil with the taste and health benefits that go with it.I received my oil yesterday. It came in a very dark glass bottle. I put a little in a dish and dabbed my finger in it for a taste test.I knew right away this is what I've been looking for all along. It tasted very olivey, with maybe a fresh grass taste, had a little bite to it, and left a slight spicy hot after taste on my tongue.This is what olive oil is supposed to taste like. I think one of the reasons we have so much blended and outright fake olive oil is because people either don't know what it's supposed to taste like, or they just don't like it. In many cases you can simply read the label and it will state it's an olive oil"blend".I prefer my olive oils to be domestic, I don't trust imported oils. I don't care what badge is on the label, they have proven in the past to be deceptive. There is a little known incident that happened in Spain when some industrial oil was sold as culinary oil and people died. Look up toxic oil syndrome or Spanish cooking oil scandal. 1000 people died. I think about that when our food is criticized by people in other countries.We make fine oil in the US, there is no reason to turn to imported oil. It's the freshest and the best when it only has to travel for a few days at most.I was pleasantly surprised that the harvest date was this past fall, and not the year before. I almost didn't order from Amazon because I was afraid of that. The Amazon price was the best for this particular product, I'm so happy I was able to obtain it.I'm planning to order 2 more bottles before the weather gets too hot. This is something I frequently do when replenishing something I use in my home that I must order online due to availability in my area.I can't wait to let my friends try some, if they like it I will give it out as gifts.This is a robust tasting food which may not appeal to everyone. I would use it for it's healthful properties alone, the fact I find it flavorful as well is just icing on the cake. I will still use California ranch oil for those times when I want a subtle flavor or for cooking with higher heat.

Olive Oil is Supposed to Be BitterYes, olive oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, is supposed to have a bitter taste. This bitterness is a characteristic of fresh olive oil and indicates that the oil is of high quality. The degree of bitterness can depend on how ripe the olives were when they were picked. A slight peppery taste in the back of the throat, which comes from the antioxidants present in the oil, is also a sign of quality. However, it's important to note that while bitterness is a positive attribute, it should be balanced with other flavors to be enjoyable.

The oil is wonderful with a heartier taste than any oils you can normally buy in a supermarket. The only issue I had was I wish they would pack bottles like these to protect the bottle cap so that it doesn’t open in transit like this bottle had and lose most of the oil from the neck. There is a no-return policy, which I understand, still, as the oil is expensive, I felt a bit cheated to lose so much precious oil.

After learning how to differentiate lower quality oil from higher quality, I purchased this as my first experience with a higher quality oil. I must say that it appears that some regular retail oils are getting better but this oil was CLEARLY different. More flavor was CLEARLY present. Good olive oil is truly an experience compared to typical grocery store brands.

I love to smell the oil because it is light and aromatic. The flavor is very light and tasty!

I have ordered this olive oil several times and we like it. Harvest and bottling dates are easy to see on the front of the bottle. I like California Olive oil and I like this olive oil. I will continue to purchase.

It arrived quickly well packaged. But tasting side by side with two other olive oils it was bitter and tasted very bland. No flavor. Complicated by the fact it arrived expiring on the month I received it. Already past its best by date. Avoid this poor quality and poor quality control.

Very good flavor.