• FOOD & DRINK
Savoring The Benefits of Brightland's Olive Oil Blends
Reviewed by Amanda Hitchcock
Last Updated January 2022
If you're buying standard, big-brand olive oil, you're likely ingesting more than what's listed on the back of the bottle — and it could be hurting your health. Check out this review of Brightland, and see how this brand is bottling bolder flavors, brighter skin, and better, healthier, all-natural benefits into each of its olive oil blends.
Why We Love Brightland Olive Oils
In the vast and vibrant world of culinary flavor, olive oil, it seems, is a little misunderstood. It is often denied the spotlight — deemed an essential sidekick or supportive enhancement to nearly every ingredient on the culinary spectrum.
Brightland believes that it’s time for olive oil’s big debut and is on a mission to make its consciously-crafted, California-made, all-natural olive oil blends the next showstopper and star of every dish.
For this review, I tried Brightland’s Artist Capsule Collection, which features the brand’s LUCID, ARDOR, and ARISE olive oil blends.
Pros
- Incredibly bold flavors — the difference is clear and each olive oil blend is distinct and delicious
- Brightland olive oil instantly elevates whatever it touches. Blends are elegant, complex, and sophisticated
- Way better for you than what you’ll find at the grocery store (full of antioxidants and healthy fats, with none of the bad stuff)
- Made without the commonly-used additives or adulterants that can damage quality and overall flavor
- Sourced from family-run, California vineyards
- All-natural, organic blends
- Hand-crafted production process eliminates quality risks present in commercial olive oil production (exposure to damaging light, heat, or air)
- UV-protected glass bottles
- Honest — Bottles are labeled with harvest date
- Labels designed in collaboration with prominent artists
- Website includes a fantastic collection of recipes
Cons
- Sells a spout-stopper separately, but would love if it were included. You won’t want to waste a drop.
- Hits a higher price point, but the craftsmanship and quality is well worth it
Brightland Olive Oil Features
The Artist Capsule Collection ($115)
ARDOR – 100% Chili Olive Oil
ARISE – 100% Basil Olive Oil
LUCID – 100% Lemon Olive Oil
375ML/ 12.5 fl oz UV-protected glass bottles
Labels features custom artwork created by prominent artists and designers
Organic, hand-crafted olive oil blends
Brightland Artist Capsule Collection
About Brightland
Brightland olives and fruits are sourced directly from family-run farms in California’s Central Coast. These organic, natural ingredients are then custom-blended into Brightland’s olive oils and vinegars. They contain no fillers, additives, or artificial preservatives, resulting in a distinct difference in quality and bold, unforgettable flavor and with every bite.
Ratings Breakdown
QUALITY
★★★★★
Incredible, lasting flavor, versatile, full of health benefits
VALUE
★★★★
Generous bottle size, a little goes a long way, quality and care are evident across the entire experience, multiple bundle/collection options
CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE
★★★★★
Delicious olive oils, Quick, convenient shipping, beautiful and protective packaging, website full of recipes and educational resources, honest and transparent (harvest date and sourcing), no returns or exchanges — but that makes sense
BRAND
★★★★★
Top-quality, thoroughly-considered product, passion for the community is apparent, supports the arts
PERKS
★★★★★
Very high in health benefits, Brightland olive oils double as skincare (can be used as moisturizer/ body oil), bundle/collection options
Unboxing Brightland
Across the Brightland customer experience, one thing is consistently clear — this brand does not cut corners. My Artist Capsule arrived securely packaged in beautifully-branded, Brightland-blue display boxes, accompanied by booklets, stickers, and informative cards, featuring artist information, recipes, and flavor notes for each bottle.
The Bottles
The UV-blocking bottles themselves are durable and gorgeous pieces, providing the perfect functional, flavorful, displayable addition to your kitchen countertop collection.
And you will want to have these on hand while cooking — the versatility of Brightland’s blends means that these olive oils work across multiple meals and cuisine types (but more on that later).
Brightland’s Brilliant Blends
So, let me begin by saying that until I tried Brightland’s olive oil blends, I thought I’d had good olive oil before. I enjoy using olive oil in my cooking, and even incorporate it into savory snacks and smaller plates throughout the day. Until now, I had a few “gourmet” go-to’s at the grocery store and a couple, more indulgent options from local markets. I thought I had a solid understanding of the amount of flavor olive oil could carry and the range of flavors olive oil could express.
I went into this review thinking I knew, roughly, what to expect.
But I’m here to tell you that I was very, very wrong.
Each of Brightland’s flavors was incredibly bold and distinct, expressing unique notes of the individual ingredients respective to each bottle. While I do have a favorite, all three were fantastic, enticing, and an absolute pleasure to experience. Here are my notes on each blend in Brightland’s Artist Capsule.
ARDOR
Brightland’s Notes:
ARDOR is a 100% Chili Olive Oil from Brightland. ARDOR is lovingly blended with red chili peppers, jalapeno peppers, chipotle peppers, and paprika, and heirloom Frantoio olives and harvested early by a master miller onsite in a certified organic mill.
My Notes:
ARDOR is a light and peppery blend with a slight smokiness and a dry, slow, low-intensity heat. It’s a mild heat that you can feel, but it doesn’t take away from any of the other flavors present.
This blend is great paired with bread for dipping or drizzled over a salad, but in my opinion, ARDOR truly shines on the stovetop. ARDOR’s spice and core, savory flavors add a complex and notable depth to any dish. In fact, I found myself using this more like a seasoning; incorporated into marinades, sauces, and rubs, or used alone as a flavorful, healthy sauté for veggies and meats alike.
What I found most interesting is that while this blend enhances the other elements on your plate, the flavors of other ingredients and the warmth of the stovetop also enhance the oil itself, making lighter notes much bolder. The intensity of this blend increases with heat, so I enjoyed it most when served warm. I’ve used ARDOR in everything from omelets, to Italian dishes, to asian-inspired plates to bring some heat, highlight ingredients, and guarantee that my recipe packs a punch.
ARISE
Brightland’s Notes:
ARISE is a 100% Basil Olive Oil from Brightland, made for lush and verdant feasts, lovingly blended with basil and heirloom Frantoio olives and is harvested early by a master miller onsite in a certified organic mill.
My Notes:
ARISE is a rich, smooth, full-bodied, herbaceous blend with traces of mint and clove, enhanced with light, sweet undertones.
For all of the more delicate flavors present within ARISE, the blend itself is anything but. ARISE’s bold, impactful flavor was a surprise for me, as I’ve never encountered an olive oil that tastes this indulgent before. The strength of the herbal flavors in this blend makes it perfect to use as a salad dressing or dipping oil, while also offering the perfect enhancement to sauces and spreads.
LUCID
Brightland’s Notes:
LUCID is a 100% Lemon Olive Oil from Brightland. LUCID is lovingly blended with lemon and heirloom Frantoio olives and harvested early by a master miller onsite in a certified organic mill.
My Notes:
Light, intensely refreshing, flavorful, and surprisingly, by far my favorite of the three. LUCID’s bright, dreamy, easy, lemon flavor and herbal notes of chive, black pepper, and sage is the perfect, practical olive oil blend.
Personally, I’ve never tried anything so light that is also so full of flavor. It is one I’ve come to crave, and I haven’t grown tired of it at all. Great for summer salads, snacking and charcuterie, sauces, and sautéing, LUCID is versatile and absolutely delicious in any recipe.
Brightland’s Artist Capsule
Meet The Artists
The Artist Capsule collection features three of Brightland’s signature olive oil flavors with limited- edition labels designed by prominent artists. Here is the information on each artist as described on Brightland’s website:
ARDOR – Label designed by Marleigh Culver
The artist Marleigh Culver and Brightland have collaborated on a special, limited edition artist label. Marleigh Culver is a Brooklyn-based painter. Previously, she worked with Gap Inc. in New York, New York and Need Supply Co. in Richmond, VA. She has done projects for Sweetgreen, Academy Jewelry, and Teen Vogue. Marleigh’s art had actually been on Brightland’s inspiration page prior to the original brand launch.
ARISE – Label designed by Peter Som
The designer Peter Som and Brightland have collaborated on a special, limited edition artist label. Peter Som is an award-winning designer whose clothing has been worn by such notable women as Michelle Obama, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Beyonce and Scarlett Johannson. Peter is also widely known for his love of entertaining and food with his recipes featured in Vogue, Elle, Bon Appetit, and Food & Wine. Peter lives in New York City where he can often be found in the kitchen covered in flour.
LUCID – Label designed by BD Graft
The artist BD Graft, known for his thoughtful series “Add Yellow”, and Brightland have collaborated on a special, limited edition artist label made with oil pastels, and acrylic paint. BD Graft’s focus is primarily collages, which reference images from architecture, art history, and nature.
