Single variety olive oils

Among the more than 260 varieties of olives present in Spain, the Picual variety gets its name from the shape of its lower end. It is the most cultivated variety in Spain, especially in Jaén and Córdoba. When mature, it is black in colour, medium-sized, elliptical and asymmetrical. 

It has different names according to area, such as Morcona, Temprana, Picúa or Marteña, amongst others. The tree is vigorous, with open branches and dense crown density. The fruitful branches have short length internodes and are light grey. The leaf is medium size, short and narrow. The colour of the beam is green, while that of the underside tends to greyish. 

The Picual variety is regarded as being hardy due to its adaptation to diverse climate and soil conditions. Its flowering time is medium and it matures early, with a low resistance to detachment. When mature, it is black in colour, medium size and elliptical and asymmetric, remaining on the tree until harvest. 

Its extra virgin olive oil has a great personality, with the presence of typical fruitiness, the aroma of fig, tomato, fresh wood or freshly cut grass, with bitterness and remarkable spiciness. 

Its high polyphenol content makes it one of the most stable varieties, with a longer usage period and excellent behaviour when cooking. 

Its use is ideal for those who love an olive oil with character. For frying at medium heat, cooking stewed or baked meats, for vegetable stews, or even as a dressing for meat or tuna tartare or carpaccio. 

The Hojiblanca variety gets its name because of the white colour of the underside of the olive leaf. It is grown mainly in Córdoba, Málaga, Seville and Granada. It is green in colour with small white pigments that continue to change until reaching a final violet colour when it is mature. 

It has different names according to area, such as Casta de Lucena, Lucentino or Mançanet amongst others. 

The tree is vigorous, with a medium density crown, the branches are large and it is easily rooted. The leaf is elongated and partially grooved, with a greyish green colour in the beam and a silver underside. The fruit is large in size and round and spherical in shape. 

The Hojiblanca variety is regarded as being hardy due to its resistance to drought and its tolerance of low temperatures. Ripening occurs in winter months. Mechanical harvesting is difficult since the fruits do not detach from the tree easily. 

It produces an extra virgin olive oil with an intense herbaceous golden colour, with aromas of ripe fruits, tomato and hints of avocado. It has a wide range of flavours, with the sweet predominating with a slight touch of bitterness and a moderate spiciness. 

It is a very versatile variety in the kitchen and is recommended for the preparation of bread, pasta and cakes. Ideal for the preparation of sauces and hot creams, guacamoles, fish marinades or vegetable preserves. 

This variety gets its name from the curved shape that is in the form of a horn. It is grown mainly in Toledo, Madrid and Ciudad Real. The fruit is long, curved, asymmetrical, and its body is horn-shaped. 

It has different names according to area, such as Cabrill, Cornal or Corval amongst others. 

The Cornicabra olive tree adapts to the specific conditions of each growing area, and is therefore very resistant to frost or drought, and adapts very well to poor soils. It has medium vigour, upright, with a dense crown, with medium length branches that are light grey in colour and with scarce formation of buds. The leaf is elongated and symmetrical, with a light green beam and greenish grey on the underside. 

The cornicabra olive is ripens late, beginning at the end of October and until February. high resistance to detach from the branch, and does not detach from the tree easily. 

It produces an extra virgin olive oil that is golden yellow in colour, with slight greenish reflections. Its flavour is unusual and intense, very aromatic and reminiscent of ripe fruits, amongst which apple and nuts stand out. It has a slight bitterness and a somewhat more intense spiciness. This olive oil has a medium texture and velvety viscosity, although at the end of the tasting it can be slightly astringent if it is from the beginning of the harvest. 

The cornicabra variety has a high yield and its oil is highly appreciated for its sensory characteristics, stability and high polyphenol content. It is also very appreciated as a dressing for the quality of its pulp. It is therefore ideal for vinaigrettes, salad dressings, both for vegetable salads, pasta, rice or vegetables, and ceviche with lemon and orange. Due to its stability, it is also popular for sautéing and stir-frying. 

The Arbequina variety takes its name from its area of origin, the town of Arbeca, in Lérida. It is grown mainly in the areas of Lérida and Tarragona, although its cultivation has spread throughout Spain due to its resistance to cold and its high yield, despite its small size. 

It has different names according to area, such as Arbequí, Arbequín or Blancal, among others. 

The olive of the Arbequina variety has reduced vigour, which allows intensive plantings, an open bearing and medium-high cup density, with strong and well-branched roots. The leaf is grooved, with unthickened edges, widened by the apex and ochre green in the beam and grey greenish yellow on the underside. 

The Arbequina olive variety is small, oval, short, very symmetrical, matures early and is green / violet in colour. It is one of the varieties with the highest yield index, and its high productivity compensates for the small size of the olives, which is why it is among the varieties with the highest percentage of oil extraction. 

It produces an extra virgin olive oil that contains a fruity smell of olives, apples, almonds, and other fruits, such as bananas, which make it a very fluid, delicate and sweet oil, low in bitterness and spiciness. 

Arbequina extra virgin olive oil is recommended for dishes requiring a mild oil flavour, as it provides flavour without masking others. It is ideal for mixing in mild, white fish marinades or making mayonnaises, light sauces or creams and cold sauces.