Olive and olive oil varieties in Spain
Arbequina, Picual, Empeltre, Hojiblanca, Lechín, Morruda, Sevillenca, Gordal Sevillana… The list of varieties of olives in Spain is long, reaching 200! And, thanks to this, in our country we have a large assortment of Types of Extra Virgin Olive Oils Of very different personality, depending on the variety of olives that is chosen for the oil mill. Of the varieties of olives from Jaén and Andalusia, to those of Extremadura, La Rioja, Catalonia and Aragon: do you want to know the types of olives in Spain? We tell you in this article!
How many varieties of olive are there in Spain?
Throughout the Iberian Peninsula, both in Spain and in Portugal, we find more than 250 varieties of olive trees of the species Olea Europaea. Therefore, there are a wide range of different olive oils, depending on the variety of these olive trees.
The 5 most important olive oil varieties in Spain
1. Arbequina
The place from which it comes, the town of Arbeca, in Lérida, gives its name to this widespread variety in Catalonia, but also in other communities, such as Aragón, Castilla La Mancha and Andalusia. Its olives are black and bright and are mainly used in the oil mill, since they give rise to a high-quality oil: with fruity, fluid, sweet and bitter and almost imperceptible smell.
Soft, light and fruity, this is ours Beloleum oil Arbequina del Aragón, an area where this variety is queen together with the empeltre.
2. Picual
It is the most important variety in terms of cultivation, with 900,000 hectares, mainly in the south. Your origin It is Jaén, but it is also grown in Granada, Córdoba and Ciudad Real. It is an oil with great personality, with a lot of body and characterized by its fruity of green olives, with marked attributes of bitter and spicy. It owes its name to its olive, with a pronounced beak, although it is also called “Marteño”, “Nevadillo Blanco” or “Lopereño”.
3. Hojiblanca
The Hojiblanca owes its name to the olive leaf and is the third most important variety per surface (about 200,000 hectares). It is distributed fundamentally in the provinces of Córdoba, Malaga, Seville and Granada and is also known as “Lucentino”, by the Córdoba town of Lucena. Its olive is intended for both the table and the oil mill, giving rise to a fruity and somewhat bitter and spicy EVOO..
4. Cornicabra
“Osnal”, “Cornezuelo” or “Corniche” are some of the names that this variety receives, coming from Mora de Toledo and that is currently cultivated both in Toledo and in Ciudad Real.
This variety of oil is characterized by its golden yellow color, its fresh aroma and its almond flavor with a spicy hint. This very aromatic oil stands out for its excellent quality, its body and its high content of polyphenols.
5. Empeltar
This olive variety has earned the nickname “Aragonesa”. Of course, it is also grown in Mallorca (called “Mallorquina”), Tarragona, La Rioja and Castellón. As a curiosity, outside our borders it has been implemented in Argentina.
It is also consumed as a table olive, allowing it to be blackened in the tree itself. However, the EVOO of the Empeltre variety stands out for its yellow-gold color and its prodigious balance between bitter, spicy and sweet. With light almond and apple flavor, this high-quality oil is highly appreciated inside and outside of Aragon.
Coming from our olive trees from the Belchite field, Beloleum Empeltre is a very balanced oil, with a fluid texture and a golden yellow color.
List of olive varieties in Spain
Below, we summarize some of the most important varieties of olives in our country, according to the illustrated atlas of olive oil. You will find varieties of olives dedicated mainly to the production of olive oil in Almazara or intended for consumption as an aperitif (table olives). Let’s discover them!
Blanquette
Also known as “blanquilla”, due to the color of the fruit in its maturation, this variety from Muro de Alcoy (Alicante) is one of the most representative of Levante..
Arbequina
As we have seen, this variety is grown in Catalonia, from where it comes from, but also in Aragon or Andalusia. It stands out for its softness, which makes it an ideal oil not only to consume raw, but also for pastries.
Cornicabra
A very aromatic oil that is mainly distributed throughout the Toledo and Ciudad Real area.
IMPLERT
This olive tree is propagated by graft, where its name comes from. Aragón native variety, is highly appreciated for the organoleptic properties of its olive oil.
Farga
This variety is given in the north of the peninsula. It stands out for its late maturation, the vigorousness and resistance of its olive trees and the excellent quality of its olive oil.
Sevillian Gordal
Despite the fact that it cultivates in other areas of Spain and the world, its name indicates its area of origin, Seville. It also gives us a reference on the generous size of the fruits of this olive tree that is mainly dedicated to table olives.
Hojiblanca
Coming from the south of Spain, this variety owes its name to the color of its leaves. Its olives are used both for the table and for the oil mill.
Moorish
The Moorish is mainly cultivated in Badajoz and in the Alentejo region (Portugal). Its fruits are highly appreciated and are used both for table and for oil mills.
Lechin from Seville
We find this variety, also named “Ecijano” or “Zorzaleño” in the provinces of Seville and Cádiz. The oil it produces is of very good quality and can vary from yellowish green to golden yellow.
pomegranate lechin
Its resistant olive trees are found in Granada, Almería or Murcia. The variety is also known as “menuda” due to the small caliber of its olives, which give rise to a very good EVOO.
Sevillian chamomile
The Sevillian manzanilla variety is one of the most internationally widespread. It owes its name to its symmetrical and spherical shape, like apple, and the use of its fruit is fundamentally for table olives.
Cacerena chamomile
We find it in Extremadura and Salamanca, as in Portugal. Its oil is slightly spicy and the fruit is also used as a table olive.
Morruda
This variety is mainly grown in Tarragona and Castellón. The production of its olive trees is not very abundant, but its oil is highly appreciated for its fruity and taste of green almonds.
Picual
It is one of the most important varieties in Spain: it owes its name to its “peak” and its oil is highly appreciated for its intensity (with fruity flavor and bitter and spicy touches).
PICUDO
Typical variety in Andalusia (Córdoba, Granada, Malaga and Jaén), the characteristic shape of its fruit gives it its name. Its oil is of excellent quality.
Seville
This olive also known as “Sevillana” is cultivated, however, mainly in Tarragona and Castellón. It is mainly used for oil mill.
Verdial from Badajoz
Cultivated throughout Extremadura, this variety is destined for both Mesa and Almazara, since its olive trees are very productive.
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