Olive varieties in Spain

The difference in flavors between some oils and others depends, among other things, on the variety of olive used and the variable climatic conditions to which the olive is subjected each year. Knowing the “type” sensory characteristics of each variety will allow you to get a prior idea about the aromas and flavors that our oils can offer you.

Picual Variety

It is the most important variety in the world. It represents 20% of the world’s olive grove and in Spain it reaches 50%. Its geographical spread is linked to Andalusia, the main producing region in the world and, specifically, to the provinces of Jaén, Córdoba and Granada. It is also present in Málaga, Ciudad Real and Badajoz. In Spain the picual The picual olive trees have high productivity, this being one of the reasons why their plantations have intensified so much. It is a type of tree that adapts to various climate and soil conditions and is tolerant to frost, but not very resistant to drought and very limestone terrain. The ripening of its fruits takes place from the second week of November to the third week of December. It has a high fat yield (it can reach up to 27%), a high stability index and a high oleic acid content. It also offers high resistance to rancidity caused by the amount of natural antioxidants it contains. Its high polyphenol content makes it the most stable oil that exists. From the organoleptic point of view, it would be necessary to differentiate between the plain and the mountain. Llano oils are full-bodied oils, usually bitter, with a certain woody flavor. The mountain ones tend to be softer, although with a “fresh” and pleasant flavor. This variety is protected by the DOs of Sierra Mágina, Sierra Segura, (in these two as the main variety). Also in Priego de Córdoba, Sierra de Cazorla and Montes de Granada (these last two are in the process of being processed).

Hojiblanca Variety

Its area of influence extends throughout Andalusia, specifically through the east of the province of Seville, the south of Córdoba and the entire north of the province of Málaga. It may account for 16% of the Andalusian olive grove. It is also known in Andalusia under the name Lucentino, due to the metallic reflections that its leaves have when the sun hits them. Hojiblanca olives are used both for black table olives due to the firm texture of their pulp, and for the production of oil. The ripening of its fruits is somewhat late, from the end of November to the end of December and once mature the fruit is resistant to detachment, making harvesting difficult. Its oil yield is low, with an average between 17-19%. It has a very balanced fatty acid composition with relatively lower saturated acids than in the rest of the oils from other varieties. Oxidation stability is not high and it is recommended to keep these oils protected from light and without excessive oxygenation during storage. From an organoleptic point of view, they present an immense range of flavors, although vegetal flavors predominate. Common values are the attributes of sweetness at the beginning of the tasting, fruitiness of fresh grass in the aroma, slight bitterness of green fruit and other fruits that sometimes remind of a fruit salad, slight spiciness in the throat and an almond-like final aftertaste.

Weevil Variety

The picudo or picuda, also known as carrasqueña de Córdoba, is surely the most emblematic variety of Córdoba and is protected by the DO of Baena and Priego de Córdoba. In the town of Luque it is called “pajarero”. This name comes from it because it is said that its oil is so sweet that at the time of ripening birds peck at the fruits. This variety is widespread in the provinces of Córdoba, Granada, Málaga and Jaén. The ripening of its fruits takes place between the fourth week of November and the end of December and the fat yield is high, without reaching the values of the picual, but with figures close to 20%. Picudo olives are also used for table olives. The organoleptic characteristics of the picudo variety are very good, with an unbeatable balance and sweetness, without harsh flavors. Sometimes you can find light flavors and aromas that are reminiscent of exotic fruits, as well as apples and almonds. Due to its fatty acid composition, weevil is placed in the range of oils that are sensitive to oxidation, which is why it is complemented by other varieties. like the picual.

Lechín variety from Seville

This variety extends throughout the provinces of Seville, Córdoba, Cádiz, Málaga and Huelva. Its name corresponds to the whitish color of its pulp and its oily must (a mixture of vegetation water and oil). It is a vigorous variety. It is able to withstand droughts and winter colds well and adapts to poor, limestone soils. However, its oil (fatty acid) content is not very high, around 18%. From an organoleptic point of view, it is a fluid oil with vegetable flavors, medium bitterness and a green almond aftertaste in the mouth. In general, single-varietal Lechín oils are not sold, but they do intervene to complement other varieties such as Hojiblanca and Picual.

Verdial Variety from Vélez Málaga

It is a typical variety from the area of the Axarquía region, in the Southeast of the province of Málaga. This area is in the process of obtaining the “Axarquía” Denomination of Origin. The oils are fruity with a very sweet and pleasant flavor without any bitterness or spiciness. Their composition makes it necessary to protect them from heat, light and air for their best conservation. In Malaga it is possible to find single-varietal Verdial, but it is normal for them to be mixed with those of the Hojiblanca variety, resulting in a perfect organoleptic blend with medium stability.

Arbequina Variety

It is among the best-known Spanish varieties. It is originally from the town of Arbeca, in the Les Garrigues region of Lleida, where its name comes from. Its origin according to history is in Mallorca. Tradition has it that King James I brought it to Catalonia from Mallorca and that one of his subjects, the Lord of Arbeca, planted this variety in his fiefdom. Others consider that it came to the peninsula through the Templars. It extends across the provinces of Tarragona (DO Siurana) and Lérida (DO Les Garrigues), both in the community of Catalonia. It is also present in the provinces of Zaragoza, Huesca, Teruel. The oils covered under the DO of Bajo Aragón allow up to 20% arbequina. Usefully, its cultivation has spread in Andalusia. Arbequina olives are small olives, but highly appreciated for their early entry into production, with an average ripening period between the second week of December and the second week of January, high productivity and good fat yield, over 20.5% oil, which places it among the varieties with the highest percentage of oil extraction. They are oils that have a fresh fruity smell with aromas of almonds and other fruits. They are bitter and bite very little if not at all, the astringency note never appears and at first they are very soft and offer a very pleasant and delicate almond-like tactile sensation. We could describe them as oils with harmonious characteristics, soft, light, delicate, sweet, almost always almond-shaped and with an aroma of ripe fruits (fruit and apple porridge), in which exotic aromas are sometimes glimpsed. However, the type of fruity oil that is slightly green and moderately bitter, spicy and sweet also occurs. This oil corresponds to that from the beginning of the campaign, when the olives are still green and this characteristic is logically reflected in the organoleptic profile of the oil.

Cornicabra variety

This variety is, in number of cultivated hectares, the second in importance, but the third in production. Originally from Mora de Toledo, its cultivation area covers the provinces of Toledo and Ciudad Real, in the Community of Castilla la Mancha. Its name comes from the characteristic horn shape of its fruit. Also called ergot, it is the main variety of the DO Montes de Toledo. It has great resistance to droughts, frosts and winter cold, which tells us that being a Mediterranean tree it has adapted perfectly to a continental climate. At the end of its maturation it is characterized by an intense violet color. It has a fat yield of around 19%. They are fruity and aromatic oils, showing medium values of bitter and spicy. When they are obtained from more ripe olives, at the end of the harvest, the appearance of different flavors and textures of exotic fruits such as avocado is characteristic. Cornicabra oils present a remarkable balance between sweet at the entrance, bitter green leaves and medium-intensity spiciness. They are stable oils due to their high content of monounsaturated fatty acids.

Empeltre Variety

The Empeltre variety is characteristic of the community of Aragón. Its cultivation area extends from the provinces of Logroño and Teruel through the Ebro Valley to the province of Tarragona, even occurring in the Balearic Islands. It occupies almost 85% of the regions of Bajo Aragón Turolense, extending through the lands of Alcañiz, Calaceite, Valderrobres, Castellote and the Serranía de Montalbán, located on the border between Aragon and Catalonia. It is one of the oldest olive trees in Spain. It can reach a large size, although its rooting capacity is low, which requires grafting as the main propagation method. In fact, it seems that its name derives from the Catalan word “empalt” which means graft, since this variety was grafted onto older ones. Its leaves are dark green and very shiny; its jet black olives. Olives have a fat yield of around 18.3%. The ripening of its fruits is early, from the first week of November to the first week of December. Its oil has a fluid texture, with a soft fruity smell and a delicate, sweet and somewhat almondy flavor. They almost never present bitterness or stinging. They are very pleasant oils in the mouth, very sweet and soft.

Cacereña Manzanilla Variety

This variety known in Portugal as “negrinha and azeitera” is grown in Alta Extremadura (Sierra de Gata, Las Hurdes, Valle del Jerte and La Vera). It occupies an area of 95% of the olive grove in this area and is the protected variety of the Denomination of Origin, Gata-Hurdes. It is intended for both the table and the oil mill. It gives oils that exhibit quite a lot of body, with herbaceous, spicy and bitter aromas in the medium-high range and aromas of other ripe fruits, especially sweet banana.

Verdial variety from Badajoz or Morisca

This variety, very resistant to drought, extends throughout the province of Badajoz, in what is Lower Extremadura, occupying 53% of the olive grove in the Tierra de Barros region of Badajoz. In Portugal it occupies the Alentejo and Algarve area. The verdial is used both for table olives and for the mill, where they are highly appreciated for their high fat yield of around 22%. They are oils with a medium-high fruitiness and their flavor is somewhat bitter and spicy.

Blanqueta Variety

It is the main variety of the Spanish Levante, whose name refers to the light color of the olive. Very productive, but sensitive to sudden changes in temperature and harsh winters, the oil is very aromatic and has a high linoleic acid index. The most recognized oils come from the regions of Sierra del Espadán and the mountains of Alicante.