There's something special about harvest time in Sicily. Every autumn, the Di Lorenzo family begin picking olives on their magnificent Disisa Estate in Northern Sicily, and for our Early Harvest oil they start weeks before everyone else.
Our Sicilian Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a single-varietal, single-estate oil made from 100% Cerasuola olives, picked in October while they are still green. The result is a fresh, robust oil with a bold, grassy flavour, a peppery finish and naturally high levels of polyphenols.
Here's how it travels from the grove to your kitchen, and why picking early makes such a difference
Meet the Di Lorenzo Family and the Disisa Estate
Our Sicilian oils are produced by the Di Lorenzo family on their Disisa Estate, in the rolling hills of Northern Sicily. The family grow Cerasuola, a traditional Sicilian olive variety prized for its aromatic, characterful oil.
Because our Early Harvest oil is made from a single variety on a single estate, it is a true expression of the Cerasuola olive and the land it grows on. And every February we travel to Disisa ourselves to work alongside the family, tasting the new season's oils so we know exactly what we're bringing home to you.
Why We Harvest Our Olives Early
In Sicily, olives are traditionally harvested in November and December, when the fruit has grown larger and riper. Riper olives give more oil, with a softer, rounder flavour.
For our Early Harvest oil, the Cerasuola olives are picked in October, while they are still green. Green olives yield less oil, but what they do give is more intense: greener, more bitter, more peppery and naturally richer in polyphenols.
It's a deliberate choice. Rather than waiting for the olives to grow bigger, the Di Lorenzo family pick them at the moment that gives the bold, fresh style of oil we love.
From Olive Tree to Bottle
Once picked, freshly harvested olives start to deteriorate quickly, so speed is everything. Here's how they become our extra virgin olive oil.
1. Hand-picking the olives
The green Cerasuola olives are hand-picked in October, so only sound, healthy fruit goes to the mill.
2. Pressing immediately
The olives are taken straight to be cold-pressed, using the latest technology to make sure absolutely no heat is created in the process. Keeping the temperature low protects the delicate aromas, flavour and polyphenols.
3. Crushing and mixing
The cleaned olives are crushed into a paste, which is then gently mixed (a process called malaxation) so the tiny droplets of oil can join together.
4. Separating the oil
The oil is separated from the water and solids in the paste, leaving pure extra virgin olive oil, with nothing added and nothing taken away.
5. Bottled exclusively for The Gift of Oil
Finally, the new oil is bottled exclusively for us, ready to bring a taste of Disisa straight to your table.
Why Is Early Harvest Oil So High in Polyphenols?
Polyphenols are natural compounds found in olives and olive oil. They're responsible for much of extra virgin olive oil's bitterness and that peppery tickle at the back of your throat.
Green olives naturally contain more polyphenols than ripe ones, which is why early harvest oils are prized for their polyphenol content. This year's oil is currently being lab-tested, so its polyphenol level is to be confirmed. We'll update this post as soon as the results are back.
Last year's Early Harvest oil tested at 566mg per kilogram, and we're hopeful this year's will be even higher.
To find out more, read our guides to the health benefits of olive oil and drinking olive oil.
What Does Early Harvest Olive Oil Taste Like?
This is an oil with real personality, not a mild oil that disappears into a dish.
- Aroma: fresh-cut grass and green olives.
- Flavour: bold, vibrant and robust, with a pleasant bitterness.
- Finish: a peppery kick that lingers, sometimes with a little cough, which is a sign of a polyphenol-rich oil.
How to Use Early Harvest Olive Oil
Its big flavour makes it a wonderful finishing oil, where it can really shine:
- Dipping: with warm, crusty bread.
- Dressings: mix 3 parts oil to 1 part of one of our traditional or infused balsamics for the perfect combo dressing.
- Drizzling: over roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, soups, bruschetta and antipasti.
- Finishing: over grilled meat and seafood just before serving.
For more ideas, take a look at our recipe inspiration.
Can You Drink Olive Oil?
Absolutely, and many of our customers do. A daily 20ml serving is about two dessertspoons, and you can take it by the spoonful or simply work it into your meals through the day. There's no need to take it on an empty stomach; what matters is finding a way to enjoy it that suits you.
For tips and ideas, download our drinking olive oil booklet.
The 2026 Harvest: Less Oil, but Every Bit as Special
Unfortunately, this year's Disisa olive harvest is not going to be a memorable one — at least, not in terms of quantity.
Poor flowering in the spring, followed by an exceptionally hot summer, has resulted in around 50% fewer olives on the trees compared with last year.
However, there is some good news... The olives that have survived these challenging conditions are in perfect condition, and the oil being produced is of excellent quality.
So don't worry — everything that makes Disisa special remains unchanged! Our Early Harvest oil is still single-varietal, single-estate and very much an oil for the true connoisseur, with all the polyphenol-rich character you would expect from a premium early harvest extra virgin olive oil.
Harvest date: October 2026
Best before: September 2028
Polyphenols: to be confirmed (lab results pending)
Being pure extra virgin olive oil, it's naturally suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and gluten-free.
Pre-order Your Early Harvest Oil
The bottom line, however, is that our Limited Edition Early Harvest Olive Oil will be even more limited this year than usual!
If you don't want to miss out, secure your supply now by pre-ordering today. It's available in 250ml, 500ml and 750ml bottles and a 3 litre tin, and we expect the oil to arrive and be ready for despatch by mid-November.
Please note that if you order it alongside other in-stock products, everything will be sent together once the new oil arrives.
Don't leave it too late — this year's oil really is a case of less oil, but every bit as special!
Pre-order Sicilian Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil and be one of the first to taste the new season's oil.