Sicilian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
First cold pressed from three native Sicilian olive varieties — Nocellara del Belice, Cerasuola and Biancolilla — grown in the volcanic hills above Castroreale, Messina. 2024/2025 harvest. Independently verified at 410mg/kg total polyphenols.
Free standard UK delivery · Orders dispatched within 1–2 business days
What it tastes like
High-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil from early-harvest native Sicilian varieties has a distinctive sensory profile — vivid, complex and unmistakably alive. The peppery finish is oleocanthal: it is the oil doing exactly what it should.
Castroreale, Messina, Sicily
The oil is produced at the Mandanici family mill in Castroreale — a hilltop town in the province of Messina in northeastern Sicily, at approximately 400 metres above sea level. The mill has been pressing olives for over 70 years.
The groves sit in volcanic soil — mineral-rich, fast-draining basalt and schist — at altitude, with the water stress that drives high polyphenol concentration in the fruit. Olives are picked at the turn of colour in October and pressed the same day, cold extracted below 27°C.
Three native varieties: Nocellara del Belice for fruity freshness and green almond character; Cerasuola for high polyphenol content and the pronounced peppery finish; Biancolilla for floral lightness and aromatic complexity.
Why polyphenol content matters
The health benefits attributed to extra virgin olive oil in peer-reviewed research — from the PREDIMED trial to EFSA's approved health claim — are specific to the polyphenolic compounds in fresh, cold-pressed EVOO. At 410mg/kg, Castruriali sits well above the threshold used in positive research outcomes.
Cardiovascular
The PREDIMED trial (NEJM, 2013) found approximately 30% fewer major cardiovascular events in the EVOO arm. Hydroxytyrosol's role in protecting blood lipids is recognised by EFSA with an approved health claim.
Anti-inflammatory
Oleocanthal inhibits the same COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes as ibuprofen (Beauchamp et al., Nature, 2005). Daily consumption at Mediterranean levels delivers meaningful anti-inflammatory activity.
Gut health
Olive oil polyphenols act as prebiotics in the large intestine, increasing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium populations and supporting microbiome diversity (Cerdá et al., Frontiers in Microbiology, 2016).
Cognitive
PREDIMED-Plus participants in the EVOO arm showed significantly better preserved cognitive function over six years (Valls-Pedret et al., JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015).
"This is a beautiful oil — the polyphenols, the freshness. This is the real thing."
Gennaro Contaldo — BBC Good Food Show 2025
2024/2025 Harvest · In Stock · UK Delivery
Free standard UK delivery on all orders. Orders dispatched within 1–2 business days. Case discounts available — 10% on Case of 6, 15% on Case of 12.
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