Brioleum EVOO Garda Trentino Tenuta Scannone

A good, classic extra-virgin olive oil produced against all odds in the milder climate of Northern Italy.

Sensory analysis 8/10. The oil has very lovely aromas of fresh tomatoes and green almond, which are typical of Italian oils and characteristic of extra-virgin olive oils. So that's all good!

Tasting 8/10. Bitter, with no signs of defect. It leaves the mouth fresh and clean. It doesn't have a strong spicy aftertaste, but this is because the oil I'm tasting was probably bottled six months ago.

And, in theory, that's all we need to know! However, I think presentation matters, too, so here are my thoughts on packaging and labelling.

Packaging 3/10. The bottle isn't fully covered which makes the oil vulnerable to light exposure, though the glass is very dark so this probably mitigates the issue. I don't like the materials used for the front and back labels or the plastic cap, as they are glossy and don't align with the branding and quality of the oil. I don't like the fonts choices either, though the bronze-black contrast on the front label is very nice.

One more note regarding the name. If you see the product for the first time, it's unclear what the actual name of the oil or the company is, as there's too much going on (is it Brioleum? Olio Garda DOP? Garda Trentino? Tenuta Scannone?).

Label 6/10. We know when the oil was harvested (2024/2025), though the month is missing. The expiration date is set within two years, which is okay but probably too long for an EVOO that isn't stored in a fully covered bottle. There's no information on the blend of cultivars used, and polyphenol levels aren't listed (which can be two important indicators of quality). The country of origin is specified, but could be made clearer (e.g. by adding "100% made in Italy"), especially on the front label.

All in all, this is a good extra-virgin olive oil that would simply benefit from improved packaging design and the inclusion of a few key details to support more informed consumption.

For more information: www.brioleum.it/en If you are in London, I found this oil at Borough Market