This week Value4Money looks at Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Don Carlos Extra Virgin Olive Oil

€3.99 for 500ml

Highs: This widely available and instantly recognisable Spanish olive oil is the cheapest of the brands tried. Despite its low cost it tastes pretty good and has an intense and distinctive olive flavour. It's not something you'll produce with a flourish to dress your salad at a posh dinner party, but it does its job.

Lows: It is very heavy, and some people might find the strong flavours too much. There's also a danger that the oil might overpower the food it is cooking.

Verdict: Not bad for everyday use.

Star rating: ***

Castello Zarco Extra Virgin Olive Oil

€17.10 for 500ml

Highs: Bought from Oil and Vinegar on Dublin's Dame Street, this lightly coloured and flavoured option is very good. It hails from Crete, where, some say, the best olive oil is produced. It has a balanced, subtle flavour and a fruity aftertaste. With its wax-sealed bottle and natty label, it also looks pretty expensive.

Lows: It is very, even ridiculously, pricey – and, unless you have money to fry, it would have to be reserved for special occasions. Outside Dublin, it will also prove hard to get.

Verdict: Nice, but at what price?

Star rating: ***

Villa Blanca Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil

€4.99 for 500ml

Highs: Another Spanish olive oil, this makes much of its organic origins. It is very dark in colour and is very rich and thick (like an inbred aristocrat perhaps). The strong olive flavour is never far from the surface and works best with robust dishes. It is reliable and widely available.

Lows: While it may sound daft, this oil is perhaps a little too oily. It seems to be much greasier than its rivals. Like the other Spanish oils tried, it also has a strong aftertaste.

Verdict: Not bad at all.

Star rating: ***

The Real Olive Company Extra Virgin Olive Oil

€6.50 (quantity not specified)

Highs: Once past the feel-good factor derived from buying this earthy Greek oil at a stall from people who are passionate about food, it is pleasing to note that it is very good. It has a lovely dark-green hue, is packaged in a no-frills style and has nicely balanced flavours.

Lows: There is no indication on the bottle how much oil you're buying, although it looked to this untrained eye like more than 500ml. It is quite pricey and availability is a problem.

Verdict: Looks great, tastes great.

Star rating: ****

***** Excellent
**** Great
*** Fine
** Below par
* Awful