8K Ultra Premium Extra Virgin Early Harvest Koroneiki Monovarietal Olive Oil 500ml Organic

8K Eight Thousand Greek Olive Oils is a family-run business based in Monemvasia — an ancient town on the rocky Lakonia peninsula, where the Aegean Sea meets the Ionian Sea. For over 15 years, Nikos and Chrysoula Katsos have been perfecting every stage of production — from orchard selection, through the moment of harvest, to the technology of the press. The result is an olive oil that wins awards every time 8K enters international competitions: Berlin GOOA, NYIOOC, London IOOC, Athena. This is no coincidence — it is the result of an obsession with quality.

Koroneiki is the most recognisable Greek olive variety — considered one of the finest olive varieties in the world. In the Monemvasia region, on the stony soils of the coastal peninsula and within a unique microclimate where the sea breeze meets the mountain air of Laconia, Koroneiki produces an olive oil with an intense, distinctive character and a unique balance between aromatic complexity and harmonious flavour.

The olives are harvested by hand in the early stages of ripeness — when the fruit is still almost green or just beginning to change colour, and the content of polyphenols and aromatic compounds is at its peak. It takes a maximum of 4 hours from harvest to the mill. The small-scale press, perfected over 15 years of experimentation, uses the cold-pressing method without heating the olive paste. Bottling is done by hand — one bottle at a time, with full quality control at every stage.

The Koroneiki variety — a classic of Greek olive oil

Koroneiki is the most widespread Greek olive variety, known by many local names: Psililolia, Ladolia, Lianolia, Vatiki. This small fruit, with a low pulp-to-stone ratio, yields a relatively small amount of oil — but of exceptionally high quality and stability. It is the variety that has built the reputation of Greek olive oil on international markets: it forms the basis of most PDO olive oils from the Peloponnese and Crete and is one of the most frequently awarded varieties in global competitions.

Early-harvest Koroneiki from Monemvasia has a distinctly different character from late-harvest Koroneiki from other regions of Greece — it is greener, more intense, with a significantly higher polyphenol content. This is the result of a combination of three factors: location (the stony soils of the peninsula, proximity to the sea), the timing of the harvest (before the fruit is fully ripe) and the milling technology (short time between harvest and extraction, controlled malaxation temperature).

Sensory profile

On the nose: fresh green aromas — green olive leaf, green apple, artichokes, herbal notes and delicate hints of tomato stalk. The aroma is clean, clear and well-balanced.

On the palate: full, juicy texture, distinct bitterness and a strong, peppery finish that lingers long after swallowing — a characteristic sign of high oleocanthal content, a natural compound which, in scientific studies, has shown anti-inflammatory effects comparable to ibuprofen.

Intensity: medium-robust. Early-harvest Koroneiki is among the most aromatically complex Greek olive oils, with an excellent balance between intensity and harmony — more accessible to the palate than Athinolia, yet still decidedly premium.

Quality documentation

Each harvest season is confirmed by an analytical certificate — results of biochemical tests (acidity, peroxide value, K232, ΔK), polyphenol content, and, for the organic version, pesticide analysis (Eurofins) and the DIO organic certificate (Greek control body — Inspection and Certification Organization of Organic Products) are attached to the product as files and photos. You can find the current certificate in this product’s gallery. The olive oil meets the requirements of EU Health Claim 432/2012 — it protects blood lipids against oxidative stress.

Organic variant

8K’s organic farming is carried out without pesticides or chemicals, using only natural fertilisers. Sheep graze in the orchards — their natural manure enriches the soil, whilst keeping the land clean without the use of herbicides. At 8K, organic production does not compromise on taste — the same early harvest, the same mill, the same quality standards. Choosing organic means olive oil that is pure in both taste and composition.

Awards

Berlin GOOA Gold 2020, 2021 | Berlin GOOA Platinum 2022, 2023, 2024 | NYIOOC Gold 2022, 2024, 2025 | London IOOC Silver 2019, Gold 2025 | Athena Gold 2024 | OLIVE JAPAN 2023

Technical data

Usage: for cold dishes only — salads, fish, seafood, grilled vegetables, cottage cheese, carpaccio, bread with olive oil. Perfect as a finishing touch to dishes. Too precious aromatically to heat — just a spoonful on a finished dish is enough to experience the full range of aromas.

Producer: 8K Eight Thousand Greek Olive Oils | Monemvasia, Lakonia, Greece
Manufacturer’s website: 8kolive.com