Lucero Taggiasca High-Polyphenol Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 250 ml

An unusually powerful expression of Taggiasca, this California extra virgin olive oil combines floral aromatics, bitter leafy-green flavor, and a bold peppery finish with an exceptional 751.5 mg/kg of total biophenols.

A Rare Expression of Power and Finesse

Taggiasca is traditionally associated with Liguria, where the fruit is often allowed to ripen fully and produces a comparatively delicate oil. California gives the variety a very different expression.

Our Taggiasca comes from a small planting in a favorable microclimate south of Corning and is harvested earlier, while the fruit still carries considerable green character. The result defies the variety’s gentle reputation: aromatic and refined, but distinctly bitter and pungent.

Taggiasca is pronounced tah-YAH-skah.

Sensory Profile

A floral-spice aroma leads into a complex bitter profile reminiscent of leafy greens and fresh herbs, followed by a persistent black-pepper finish.

The intensity is deliberate rather than aggressive for its own sake. Aroma on the nose, bitterness in the mouth, and pungency in the throat remain in balance, giving the oil both power and finesse.

Use it where a finishing oil is meant to be noticed: over beans, grilled vegetables, soups, hearty greens, bruschetta, roasted meats, or simply on good bread.

Exceptionally High in Olive Oil Biophenols

Independent laboratory analysis measured 751.5 mg/kg of total biophenols by HPLC in this oil.

Among the individual phenolic compounds measured were:

• Oleacein: 116.3 mg/kg
• Oleocanthal: 94.5 mg/kg

These naturally occurring compounds are among those responsible for the bitterness and pungency that characterize fresh extra virgin olive oil. In this Taggiasca, that chemistry is readily apparent in the glass: the oil begins with floral-spice aromatics and leafy-green bitterness, then develops the delayed peppery sensation at the back of the throat that tasters associate with pungency.

“It has a delayed heat on the back of the throat that we find pleasing.”

— Verified buyer

A Small Bottle for a Concentrated Oil

We chose a 250 ml bottle for this distinctive oil because many customers use it primarily as a finishing oil rather than as an everyday cooking oil.

Its smaller format also makes it practical for those who enjoy a modest daily portion of intensely flavored extra virgin olive oil.

Current Harvest and Quality Details

• 250 ml bottle / 8.5 fl oz / 17 servings
• 120 calories per one-tablespoon serving
• Harvest: 2024
• Total biophenols: 751.5 mg/kg by HPLC
• Oleacein: 116.3 mg/kg
• Oleocanthal: 94.5 mg/kg
• DAGs: 83.1%
• PPPs: 5.8%
• Rancimat induction time: 43.7 hours
• Analysis performed by Modern Olives Laboratory
• Grown, milled, and bottled in California
• Ingredients: extra virgin olive oil made from Taggiasca olives
• Store in a dark, dry, and cool place
• For best flavor, enjoy within 6 to 12 weeks after opening