Toby Simmonds' Real Olive Co has always sold an interesting selection of olive oils from various Mediterranean countries, but a recent consignment of Enrico Loddo's olive oil, from Dolianoua, in Sardinia, is something else altogether.
The oil is viscous, and sun colour-cloudy in appearance, and its flavours are powerfully sweet and fresh, with scents of apple and pear, and a fine sharp bite at the end of the taste. This is the best olive oil I have tasted in the last couple of years, and at £7 for half a litre, it is a great deal cheaper than many boutique olive oils.
The Real Olive Co has market stalls at the Temple Bar market in Dublin, in Belfast, Galway, and in the Cork Covered market, as well as other occasional markets throughout the country.