7 Things People Are Always Surprised to Learn About Olive Oil (and Olives)

You’d be amazed how many times I hear, “Wait… really?” when I talk about olive oil.

Whether someone’s walking into Olive & Basket for the first time or they’ve been drizzling extra virgin olive oil for years, there are a few olive oil facts that always surprise people—sometimes mid-taste of our Tuscan Herb.

So if you’ve ever wondered what makes fresh olive oil so special (or what makes real olive oil real), here’s what I wish more people knew.

1-🌿Olive oil is only made once a year
Most people assume olive oil is made all year round. But it’s a seasonal product. Just one harvest, one press—usually between October and December. That’s it.

So if your bottle doesn’t list a harvest date, or it’s been sitting around for years… it’s not fresh. And fresh matters.

2-🌿Olives are fruit (really)
Yep. Olives are technically stone fruit—just like peaches, cherries, and plums. This means that extra-virgin olive oil is essentially fruit juice.

That’s also why it tastes amazing on other fruits. Try it on oranges. Or peaches. You’re welcome.

3-🌿Olive trees live for centuries
Some olive trees live 300, 500, or even over 1,000 years. There are trees still producing olives today that were planted before the Roman Empire fell.

It’s pretty humbling when you think about it—and kind of beautiful.

4-🌿The olive tree is one of the oldest cultivated trees on earth
Farmers were growing olives before they were growing just about anything else. Archaeologists have found evidence of olive cultivation dating back more than 6,000 years.

That means olive oil has been part of the human diet before bread. Which makes that crusty slice dipped in oil even more satisfying.

5-🌿“First cold pressed” doesn’t mean what you think it does
Sounds fancy, right? But “first cold pressed” is old terminology. These days, all true extra virgin olive oil is cold-pressed and unrefined.

What actually matters:

Is it extra virgin?

Does it come from a trusted source?

Can you find a harvest date?

(Spoiler: Ours check all the boxes.)

6-🌿Most grocery store olive oil isn’t what it claims to be
If your bottle of olive oil is sitting on a grocery shelf in a clear glass bottle, with a price that seems too good... it probably isn’t great quality.

A lot of mass-market oils are old, blended, or even diluted with other oils. That’s why I only source from small producers I know and trust.

7-🌿Freshness matters more than you think
Olive oil isn’t like wine—it doesn’t get better with age. In fact, it starts to lose flavor and health benefits the moment it’s bottled.

So don’t save it for a special occasion. Use it, enjoy it, and when it’s gone, get a fresh bottle. That’s how it’s meant to be.

Come Taste the Difference
If you learned something new, good. That means you’ll taste olive oil a little differently next time—and with a little more appreciation.

And if you’re ready to try a fresh, award-winning, extra virgin olive oil from producers who do things right... I’ve got a few favorites waiting for you.

🫒 See our olive oil collection