OLIVE OIL ORIGIN DENOMINATIONS IN SPAIN
Origin Denomination is the method used in Spain to certify the quality and origin of products, based on local characteristics that differentiate them from others due to production techniques, processing, tradition, farming and geographic situation.
The Regulatory Councils of the different Origin Denominations are the entities that seek to control the standards and regulations; they also guarantee that the products which are sold under each denomination meet the demanded requirements.
Origin Denominations are also very important worldwide as they provide credibility to imported products.
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We present below some of the most important spanish olive oil Origin Denominations and the organoleptic characteristics of their olive oils:
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Antequera (Malaga): The olive oils are highly marked by the cultivation of the variety "Hojiblanca". They present soft, fruity and slight bitter taste.
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Bajo Aragon: These olive oils present fruity taste at the beginning of the campaign; with slight almond flavours, not bitter, slightly sweet and a bit peppery. The “Empeltre” variety is the most commonly used.
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Baena (Cordoba): There are two types of olive oils under this denomination: one is an intensely fruity olive oil with a taste of sweet and bitter almond, and the other one is ripe fruity. The main variety used is "Picual".
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Estepa: Olive oils with a taste of ripe fruit. These are soft olive oils which go from slightly bitter to slightly sweet. The most commonly used is the “Hojiblanca” variety.
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Les Garrigues (Catalonia): The fruity ones present a taste of bitter almond and the sweet ones are sweet. Main varieties: “Verdiel” and “Arbequina”.
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Montes de Granada: These olive oils present a soft aroma and a taste which goes from slightly sweet to slightly bitter. The variety “Picual” is the most commonly used.
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Montes de Toledo: Olive oils with fruity and aromatic taste with mild flavour of almond. Main variety: “Cornicabra”.
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Poniente de Granada: Olive oils with a taste of ripe fruit, slightly peppery and bitter-sweet. Main varieties: “Hojiblanca”, “Lucio”, “Picudo” and “Picual”.
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Priego de Cordoba: The olive oils are strong with an intense fruity aroma and a hint of apple, grass and almond. Mildly bitter with an after taste of pepper.
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Sierra de Cadiz: These are fruity and intense olive oils with slightly peppery taste.
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Sierra de Cazorla: Fruity olive oils which present fresh aroma of green grass (hay), taste of fresh fruit (apple, almond, fig tree) and slightly bitter/peppery. Almost all the production is obtained from the “Picual” variety.
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Sierra del Segura: These are balanced olive oils in flavours and aromas at their maturity. Most commonly used variety: “Picual”.
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Sierra Magina (Jaen): These are olive oils with intense aroma and of very fruity and slight bitter taste. Almost exclusive variety: "Picual".
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Siurana (Catalonia): The fruity olive oils have a slight almond taste. Main varieties: "Arbequina", "Royal" and "Morrut".
More than 250 varieties of olive trees being the main varieties for the extraction of oil are grown in Spain: Hojiblanca, Picual, Cornicabra, Arbequina, Verdial, Lechín, Manzanilla, Empeltre, Picudo, Lucio, Acebuchina, Cuquillo, Royal.
Spain is the largest producer of olive oil of the world and has the largest expanse of olive trees. The quality of Spanish olive oil is recognized as the best and most varied.