The Art and Science of Olive Oil Tasting: A Guide to Spanish Varieties, Regional Characteristics, and Culinary Applications
Olive oil tasting is an art that, like wine tasting, involves a nuanced appreciation of different flavours, aromas, and textures. To fully understand and enjoy the diversity of olive oils, it's essential to explore the various varieties and the climates in which they thrive. This guide will walk you through the basics of olive oil tasting, highlighting key varieties and what to expect from their unique profiles.
Understanding Olive Oil Varieties and Their Climates
The olive tree thrives in warm, Mediterranean climates and struggles in very cold conditions. Spain, the largest producer of olive oil, offers a diverse range of olive cultivars, each influenced by its specific region's climate and geography. There are over 250 cultivars and about 24 are regularly used in the oil making process, each one with a distinct, delicious flavour.
Extra Virgen Olive Oil is a fruit juice and as such you should never expect it to taste the same. Its flavour depends on the inherent characteristics of the fruit. These vary according to the type of olive, the place of cultivation, and the specific year's harvest.
Here’s a closer look at some of Spain’s premier olive oil regions and the distinct olives they cultivate.
Andalusia: Picual Olive
Climate: Andalusia, particularly Jaén, enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. This climate is ideal for olive cultivation, allowing the olives to develop their robust flavour.
Cultivar Profile: The Picual olive, predominantly grown in Jaén, is one of the most significant olives in Spain. Picual olive oil is known for its high stability, due to its high polyphenol content. It has a distinct, robust flavour with a slightly bitter and peppery finish, making it perfect for cooking and salad dressings.
Catalonia: Arbequina Olive
Climate: Catalonia experiences a Mediterranean climate with mild winters and hot summers, alongside a significant maritime influence that provides a stable environment for olive trees.
Cultivar Profile: The Arbequina olive is a small but mighty olive, revered for its delicate and fruity oil. Arbequina olive oil is light and sweet with hints of apple and almond, making it a favourite for dressings, drizzling, and even baking.
Extremadura: Manzanilla Cacereña Olive
Climate: Extremadura has a continental Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cold winters. The region’s varied terrain and microclimates contribute to the unique characteristics of its olives.
Cultivar Profile: The Manzanilla Cacereña olive is notable for producing a versatile and balanced oil. It has a fresh, grassy flavour with a slight bitterness and peppery finish, ideal for enhancing the flavours of both raw and cooked dishes.
Castilla-La Mancha: Cornicabra Olive
Climate: Castilla-La Mancha experiences a continental climate with hot summers and cold winters, providing a challenging yet rewarding environment for olive growing.
Cultivar Profile: The Cornicabra olive, primarily grown in this region, yields an oil that is well-balanced and aromatic. It has a fruity taste with hints of apple and a slight peppery finish, making it excellent for both cooking and finishing dishes.
Valencia: Blanqueta Olive
Climate: Valencia benefits from a mild Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. The proximity to the coast influences the local climate, providing ideal conditions for olive cultivation.
Cultivar Profile: The Blanqueta olive produces oil that is fresh and fruity with a distinct bitterness and peppery aftertaste. It is known for its high polyphenol content, making it a healthy choice for everyday use.
As we are based in Huelva it would seem wrong not to talk about the olive oil production here. As far west as possible from the province of Jaen, the province of Huelva has cultivated olives for centuries and produces excellent Extra Virgin Olive Oils, thanks to olive trees rooted in generous soil and an Atlantic climate influenced by the sea breeze and sun. The quality of the oil is recognised by experts and stands out for its unique flavour and fruity touch, largely attributed to the climate. Additionally, Huelva produces one of the first oils nationally due to its geographical location and climatic conditions, which grant exceptional earliness to the olive trees. The main varieties cultivated in Huelva are Picual, Verdial, Manzanilla and Arbequina
Picual: Bitter and Peppery
Picual olive oil is the typical variety from Jaén. It is the most widespread and possibly the best-known variety in Spain. The most pronounced characteristics of picual oil, compared to other varieties, are its bitterness, and if the oil is young, its pepperiness. If the oil comes from an early harvest, we can enjoy herbaceous aromas, reminiscent of fig and tomato plants.
Manzanilla: Aromatic
This variety is mainly cultivated in the provinces of Seville and Huelva. It is a green, bright oil with a balance of spiciness, bitterness, and sweetness, very aromatic with a high green fruitiness, where recognisable notes of apple, fruit salad, tomato plant, and ripe banana can be appreciated. It has a medium oleic acid content and is high in palmitic and linoleic acids, with high quality and stability.
Verdial: Fruity and Sweet
Under this name, various local varieties are found across the south and southwest of the Iberian Peninsula: Badajoz, Málaga, Huelva, and Seville. This type of olive refers to fruits that do not fully reach a black colour when ripe. Oils from this variety are fruity and sweet, without bitterness or spiciness, with flavours of olives and nuts, despite their high oleic acid content, above 70%.
Arbequina: Sweetness
Arbequina olive oil is typical of the provinces of Lérida and Tarragona. However, in recent years, its cultivation has spread throughout Spain, especially in Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha. The main characteristic of this oil is its sweetness, as it has no bitter aftertaste. Some Arbequina oils may have a slight spiciness in the throat, simply indicating freshness. Overall, Arbequina oil is suitable for those seeking a mild-flavoured extra virgin olive oil.
Spain’s diverse climates and rich soils create perfect conditions for a variety of olive cultivars, each contributing to the country’s reputation for producing some of the finest olive oils in the world. Whether robust and peppery or light and fruity, Spanish olive oils offer a flavour for every palate and a quality that stands out on the global stage.
How to Taste Olive Oil
Preparation
Pour a small amount of olive oil into a glass. Cover it with your hand and gently warm it by swirling. This releases the oil's aromas.
Smelling
Remove your hand and take a deep inhale. High-quality olive oil will have a complex aroma that may include fruity, herbal, or spicy notes.
Tasting
Take a small sip and let it coat your mouth. Suck in a bit of air to enhance the flavours. Note the initial taste, the body (how it feels in your mouth), and the finish (the aftertaste).
Flavour and Aroma Profiles
Arbequina: Expect delicate, fruity and slightly sweet notes reminiscent of almond, ripe tomato and apple.
Picual: Characteristically intense flavour with slight bitter and spicy touches. Offers notes of wood and freshly cut grass, an aroma of tomato and fig plants.
Manzanilla: Features a balance between spicy, bitter and sweet. Very aromatic with a high green fruitiness with recognisable notes of apple, fruit salad, tomato and ripe banana can be appreciated.
Verdial: A smooth flavour, sweet to taste, finishing with an almost imperceptible bitter aftertaste.
Seasonal Changes in Olive Oil
The flavour and intensity of olive oil can change over time. Freshly harvested oils in November are more intense in colour and polyphenol content. As the oil ages, its flavours mellow, making it suitable for lighter, summer dishes like tomatoes and mozzarella.
Pairing Olive Oils with Food
Arbequina: The smooth flavour makes it ideal for lighter dishes like seafood and delicate sauces. It can also be used as a replacement for butter when baking
Picual: Use for frying and sautéing vegetables for stews. Pour over a tostada and top with ripe tomato for breakfast.
Manzanilla: Ideal for fried foods and for preparing hearty fish recipes such as cod. It is also a highly recommended olive oil for raw consumption as a salad dressing or as part of a good breakfast.
Verdial: Great for salads, gazpachos and vegetables
Conclusion
Olive oil tasting reveals the rich diversity and complexity of this staple ingredient. By understanding the different varieties and their respective climates, you can appreciate the subtle nuances each type offers. Whether you're enhancing a salad with the fruity Verdial adding depth to a pasta dish with Picual, or bringing out the best in vegetables with Manzanilla, olive oil tasting opens up a world of flavour possibilities.
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