There are hundreds of olive varieties in Italy, and most good Italian oils are blends of a few. Ours isn't. 1540 is made from 100% Moraiolo, the small, dark olive that gives central Italy some of its most intense, green and peppery oils.
Where Moraiolo comes from
Moraiolo is a native variety of central Italy, grown mainly in Umbria and Tuscany. Its name comes from mora, the Italian for blackberry, after the dark colour its small, round fruit turns as it ripens.
It's one of the traditional pillars of Umbrian and Tuscan olive growing, usually planted alongside Frantoio and Leccino. Many classic oils from the region blend the three: Leccino brings softness, Frantoio fruit and balance, and Moraiolo the structure and spice.
What Moraiolo tastes like
On its own, Moraiolo makes a bold, intense oil:
- Aroma: fresh-cut grass, artichoke, green almond and green leaves.
- Taste: clearly bitter, with a long peppery finish that builds at the back of the throat.
- Colour: deep green, especially when it's freshly pressed.
That intensity comes from its naturally high polyphenol content. Polyphenols give the bitterness and pepper (we explain how in why good olive oil is bitter and peppery), and as natural antioxidants they also help the oil keep its freshness for longer.
Why a single-variety oil?
Blending is a craft, and blends can be wonderful. But a single-variety oil from one estate gives you something different: the honest taste of one olive, from one place, in one year. Like a single-vineyard wine, it changes a little from harvest to harvest, and that's part of the pleasure.
For us, it was also history. Many of the trees on our estate near Vescia, in Umbria, were planted around 1540, when the estate's monastery was built. They're Moraiolo, and we didn't want to dilute them.
How Moraiolo compares
| Variety | Main region | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Moraiolo | Umbria, Tuscany | Intense, green, bitter and peppery |
| Frantoio | Tuscany, central Italy | Fruity, balanced, medium pepper |
| Leccino | Central Italy | Mild, soft, gently fruity |
| Coratina | Puglia | Very bitter and pungent |
| Picual | Andalusia, Spain | Robust, tomato leaf, firm bitterness |
| Arbequina | Catalonia, Spain | Mild, buttery, almond and apple |
If you usually buy mild Spanish or supermarket oils, Moraiolo will taste like a different product. If you already love Tuscan or Puglian oils, you'll feel at home.
How to use Moraiolo oil
Use it where you'll taste it:
- Poured over bean soups, ribollita and pasta e ceci.
- On grilled meat, especially steak and lamb.
- On toasted bread with garlic and salt.
- Over roast vegetables, bitter leaves and ripe tomatoes.
It's also a superb everyday cooking oil. Heat softens its bitterness, leaving warmth and depth. See can you cook with extra virgin olive oil?
Taste it for yourself
Our 2026 Moraiolo was first milled on 5 October 2026. It's organic, single-estate, and as fresh as it will ever be.