The best olive oil in the world is made in Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Tunisia, Syria, Chile, Argentina, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and a bunch of other countries. The worst olive oil in the world is made in all of those same places. Get the point?

While some countries can boast that they have the know-how of countless generations of olive oil makers, the fact is that olive oil is only as good as this year’s production. Olive oil competitions throughout the world try to declare each season’s champion. But there are many perfect olive oils that never get judged that way, but instead are shared by producers with their local communities, families and friends like a well-kept secret. See the olive oil guide for some of their stories.