What Does Unfiltered Olive Oil Mean?

If you've ever poured a glass of olive oil and noticed it looks slightly hazy, or seen a thin layer of sediment at the bottom of the bottle, you're looking at unfiltered oil. It's how olive oil has been made and drunk in Puglia for generations, and it's how we bottle ours.

Filtered vs unfiltered: what's the difference?

Freshly pressed olive oil contains tiny particles of olive flesh and traces of water. Most large producers pass the oil through filters to remove them, which gives a bright, clear oil with a longer shelf life. Unfiltered oil skips that step. The oil is simply left to rest so the heaviest particles settle, then it's bottled.

Why choose unfiltered?

• Flavour: many people find unfiltered oil rounder and fruitier, with more of the character of the fresh olive.
• Minimal handling: one less processing step between the tree and your table.
• Tradition: in much of southern Italy, new-season oil is enjoyed cloudy, straight from the mill.

Is the cloudiness a problem?

No. The haze and sediment are natural, and they're perfectly safe. You can give the bottle a gentle turn before pouring or leave the sediment at the bottom. It's a matter of preference.

How to store unfiltered olive oil

Because it still contains a little fruit and moisture, unfiltered oil is best enjoyed fresher than filtered oil. Keep it:

• Sealed, away from air
• Somewhere cool. A cupboard is better than a shelf next to the hob
• Out of direct light

Once opened, aim to use it within a few months. With good oil, that usually isn't a problem.

Our single-estate extra virgin olive oil is cold pressed, bottled at source in Puglia and never filtered.