“Understanding olive oil demands a finesse akin to that of a wine sommelier,” says the server as he gently drizzles the green-gold elixir, with its fresh herby fragrance over our platters. “And an ability to read aromas, textures, and intensity,” he adds.
We are seated at the alfresco La Veranda restaurant near coastal Málaga, surrounded by low hills rising inland towards the Serranía de Ronda ranges. This is Andalusia, the part of southern Spain accounting for roughly a third of global olive oil production in a good harvest year. As we sample the oil before us, we rewind a few hours to our morning in the highlands. Among the olive groves, a vast rust-red cube rises from one hillside, with a giant steel bull’s horn jutting out. This is French architect Philippe Starck’s surrealist reimagining of a working olive-oil mill and museum, part of the Almazara El Toro estate.
Walking through the plantations, we discover that the character of an olive oil is determined much earlier than at the mill. Spain grows more than 400 olive varieties, and this estate grows Arbequina, Oliana, Hojiblanca, Picual, and a few other types. Even the way the trees are planted matters. Traditional groves may hold only 80 to 120 trees per hectare and are difficult to mechanise, while super-intensive cultivations can even pack in twenty times more. Our guide explains that harsher mountain conditions, despite producing smaller yields, can result in more intense, fruitier oils with a higher polyphenol content. These antioxidant compounds contribute to the health benefits associated with extra-virgin olive oil, aka EVOO.
At this working mill, one can follow every stage of EVOO production, from harvesting and crushing to extraction and storage. The museum adds more depth. Intentionally dark, it has a 900-square-metre artwork on the ceiling depicting a humble olive-farm worker and a flowing river of oil. Here, we learn how efficiently the grove can function as a circular economy: residue from pruning becomes ground cover, while waste from processing returns as organic fertiliser. We also dip into millennia of olive-oil history, from its medicinal and non-culinary uses to curious facts. For instance, around 1,700 years ago, so many amphorae (ceramics used to carry olive oil) from ancient Baetica were discarded in Rome that their fragments piled up into an entire hill called Monte Testaccio!
In one corner we spot a professional EVOO tasting profile sheet that lists attributes such as fruitiness, bitterness, and pungency. And also defects to watch out for, ranging from rancid and musty notes to metallic or wine-like flavours. During the guided tasting of three oils that follows, we wonder what happens to the liquid beyond the estate, and how much does its profile shape the food that eventually reaches the table?
“An olive oil that is too intense can easily overpower more delicate flavours,” says Manuel Navarro Mena, executive chef at the nearby Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Benahavís Marbella Resort, located between Ronda and the coast. “The key is to match the intensity of the oil with the character of the ingredients.” For a fish carpaccio or burrata, he would reach for a softer oil. Grilled vegetables, meat, or a tomato salad, on the other hand, can take an oil with far more personality.
Originally from Algatocín in Málaga, Manuel recalls, “In my home, olive oil was always there at the table and in the kitchen, although we never really conversed about it.” The scent of toasted bread with virgin olive oil at breakfast remains one of his strongest food memories. “Olive oil is at the heart of Andalusian cuisine; many traditional recipes would be impossible without it,” he adds, pointing to fried fish and meats, and soups from this region like gazpacho, salmorejo and ajoblanco.
As a chef, Manuel reads the oil through aroma, balance and sensations on the palate. “I look for notes reminiscent of freshly cut grass, tomato leaf, almond, or green fruits,” he says. Hojiblanca is usually more balanced, with herbal and slightly sweet notes, while a Picual tends to have more character, with more pronounced bitterness and pungency. When buying EVOO, he advises checking the harvest date, olive variety and origin, whether it has been cold-extracted, and how much information the producer provides. “Transparency is a strong indicator of quality,” he explains, adding, “Keep it away from direct light, heat and sudden temperature changes, which can speed up oxidation and alter the flavour and aroma.”
At Anantara Villa Padierna, Manuel has a culinary laboratory at his disposal, thanks to a pantry stocked with oils of several flavour profiles and a kitchen garden where he hand-picks produce for the right pairing. The results range from bold savoury dishes to delicate cakes and custards. Who knew olive oil could work with cocoa and sea salt to become an unexpectedly elegant dessert?
Shuvajit Payne (@RicketyRoads) writes about travel, food, and the outdoors.