Which olive is best for olive oil

Spain could be considered the “father of olives” or of olive oil, since around 200 olive varieties are grown in this country, each with different flavours and characteristics to enhance our dishes and oils. Today, we will discuss the best olive for oil.

With so much variety, it is very difficult to choose which is the best olive for oil; however, there are some truly unique ones that are worth highlighting.

Picual olive

It is the most widespread variety in Spain and worldwide. Its full-bodied oil is valued for its high resistance to oxidation, which makes it ideal for use at high cooking temperatures and for preserving raw or cooked foods.

The flavour of its oil stands out for its fruity notes and a slight bitterness and pungency.

Cornicabra olive

This is the second most widely cultivated variety in Spain. Its extra virgin olive oil stands out for being highly aromatic, with fruity notes of olive and other fruits—especially apple—while on the palate it has a herbaceous flavour and is only slightly bitter.

Rojal de Cañada

This oil contrasts the most with Picual olive oil, as its flavour is sweet and very fruity, with a predominant fig note.

Hojiblanca olive

With the greatest cultivation in Seville, Granada, Málaga and Córdoba, it is a variety widely used as a table olive, but it also produces an oil with an aroma of aromatic herbs and a distinctive sweet taste at first, then slightly bitter, and finally leaving a very pronounced pungency on the palate.

Manzanilla or Cacereña olive

This variety, also used as a table olive, yields a full-bodied oil with an aroma of ripe fruit and a strongly bitter and pungent flavour.

Verdial olive

Also among the best olives for oil, it stands out for its sweet flavour, with pungency and bitterness that are almost imperceptible. It is usually a fruity oil and, at times, it has almond notes.

Picuda olive

A variety typical of Córdoba, it produces a very sweet, fruity oil, with light notes of almond and apple.

These seven varieties are the most commonly used among the best olives for oil, although preferences for flavour and body depend on each person’s tastes and needs.