Varieties of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
You have probably seen countless olive groves from your car and thought to yourself, how many olive trees! We are not surprised since Spain is the country where most olive varieties are grown and therefore the undisputed world leader in the production of Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a surface area of 2.5 million hectares dedicated to olive growing.
In Spain there are more than 250 olive varieties, each of which has unique organoleptic properties (taste, smell, texture and colour). Most of the national production is concentrated in Andalusia (47%), mainly in Jaén, although olive trees are also grown in 13 autonomous communities.
The most common and abundant olive is the picual variety. It is grown especially in Jaén, Córdoba and Granada, and represents 50% of Spanish production and 20% of world production. Picual extra virgin olive oil is an early harvest variety (its olives are harvested in October) and is characterised by its green colour, fruity flavour, intense bitterness and herbaceous aroma such as fig, tomato, apple, tomato or banana. It is the most intense variety of all.
Other common varieties of extra virgin olive oil are hojiblanca, arbequina and cornicabra.
The hojiblanca olive is the third most cultivated variety in Spain. It is produced in Andalusia, mainly in the north of Malaga, the southern part of Cordoba and Seville. This variety is used both as a table olive and to produce olive oil. The extra virgin olive oil obtained from this variety is fruity to a certain extent, with a slight bitterness and sharpness in the throat. It is characterised by its aroma of aromatic plants and freshly cut grass. It also has a medium oleic acid content and is recommended for raw consumption as a salad dressing, to accompany pasta or preserves and to marinate meat or oily fish.
This is a type of olive grown mainly in Lérida and Tarragona. Although its production has also spread to Aragon and Andalusia. The Extra Virgin Olive Oil from this olive variety is mild and even sweet, with fruity aromas such as apple and banana and is very popular with palates that are not used to the spiciness and bitterness; it is ideal for children to get started in the world of oil. It has a high oleic acid content, which helps to reduce bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL).
Oro de Bailén de variedad arbequina
Cornicabra
It is the second most cultivated olive variety in Spain, mainly in Toledo, Madrid, Ciudad Real, Badajoz and Cáceres. It produces an extra virgin olive oil with a very fruity flavour, a touch of bitterness and a very intense aroma.
Other varieties that you can also find in Olivarte and that are produced in Spain are Royal, Frantoio, Gordal de Granada and Koroneiki.
Royal
This variety is typical of the area of the Sierras del Norte de Cazorla in Jaén. Its red olive has a large size and the oil extracted from it is smooth and sweet, without bitter notes, with a low level of fruitiness and an intense green colour. The price of this variety of extra virgin olive oil has increased in recent years mainly due to its low production, its difficult harvesting and the increase in demand.
Frantoio
This variety comes from Tuscany in Italy and is increasingly present in Spain. The extra virgin olive oil of this variety has an intense green colour. Its aroma is dominated by the intense fruitiness of the olive with notes of grass and a great prominence of green almonds. In the mouth, it has an initial sweet taste that evolves to soft bitter and spicy tones.
Gordal de Granada
This olive variety is mainly grown in Granada and is mainly used as a table olive, with great acceptance due to its size and intense flavour. The productivity of this variety in Spain is lower compared to other olive varieties as its yield to extract oil is low. Its extra virgin olive oil is sweet and slightly bitter with notes of mint and spices.
Koroneiki
This variety comes from Greece - more than 50% of its olive groves are of this variety -, although it has spread to Spain in recent years, especially in Andalusia. The extra virgin olive oil obtained from this variety has an intense and strong flavour. In the mouth it is slightly bitter and spicy with sweet notes and its aroma is ripe with aromatic notes of cut grass and artichoke, as well as fruity traits of apple, banana and almond. It is recommended to be eaten raw, for example with toasted bread, but it is also ideal to enhance the flavour of dishes such as salads, vegetables or fish. The Koroneiki variety offers one of the healthiest extra virgin olive oils due to its high oleic acid content - around 70% - which regulates blood flow, which is associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases.
