What Is Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

Ask a Spanish farmer and they will tell you without hesitation: extra virgin olive oil is sabor, salad, Felicidad — flavour, health and happiness. It is a way of dressing food, cooking, eating and living. But what does the term actually mean, and why does the grade matter so much?

 

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the highest quality grade of olive oil. To qualify, it must meet three strict criteria:

•       It must be produced purely by mechanical means — pressing or centrifugation — with no heat above 27°C and no chemical solvents. This is what 'cold-pressed' means.

•       Its free fatty acid content must be below 0.8%, which is the benchmark for freshness and quality. Lower-grade 'virgin' olive oil can be up to 2%, and refined 'pure' olive oil has been chemically treated to remove defects.

•       It must pass an organoleptic (taste and smell) panel test with zero defects and a measurable level of fruitiness.

 

In practical terms: if it doesn't taste and smell like olives — fresh, grassy, peppery or buttery depending on the variety — it is not truly extra virgin, regardless of what the label says.

 

Spain is the world's largest producer of olive oil, accounting for around 45% of global output. But Spanish EVOO is not a single thing — it is a family of distinctive, single-variety oils, each shaped by its own olive cultivar, region and harvest moment.

 

At Spanish Gastro Larder, we source directly from farmers across Spain. Here are the varieties you will find in our range:

 

•       Arbequina — Small olive from Catalonia and Aragón. Mild, smooth and slightly buttery with low bitterness. Wonderful for salad dressings, drizzling over fish or using in baking.

•       Picual — The most widely grown variety, predominantly from Jaén in Andalusia. Robust, grassy and peppery with a distinctive finish. Ideal for cooking, roasting vegetables and strong-flavoured dishes.

•       Empeltre — Grown in Aragón and the Balearic Islands. Delicate and fruity with a golden colour. Beautiful used raw over pasta, in muffins or drizzled on toast.

•       Argudell — A rare Catalan variety with a fine, elegant flavour. Lightly bitter with herbal and almond notes. Perfect in salad dressings and ceviche.

•       Cornicabra — From Castilla-La Mancha. Intensely bitter and peppery with strong polyphenol content. Exceptional for roasting and slow-cooked dishes.

•       Mis Raices (Organic) — Our cold-pressed organic oil from a single estate. Mild and rounded — ideal for soups, dips and everyday cooking.

 

The Mediterranean diet — of which EVOO is the cornerstone — is consistently ranked among the healthiest ways of eating in the world. The science behind olive oil's health benefits is well established:

 

•       Polyphenols: EVOO is rich in natural antioxidants called polyphenols, which protect cells from oxidative stress and inflammation. Early-harvest oils and high-bitterness varieties like Picual and Cornicabra tend to have the highest polyphenol content.

•       Oleocanthal: A compound found only in EVOO that has a natural anti-inflammatory effect similar in mechanism to ibuprofen. It's responsible for the peppery sensation at the back of the throat — a sign of quality.

•       Monounsaturated fats: EVOO is predominantly oleic acid, a heart-healthy fat that has been linked to reduced LDL cholesterol and improved cardiovascular health.

•       No additives: Unlike refined olive oils, EVOO contains no chemicals, no preservatives and no heat-damaged fats. It is as close to olive juice as you can get.

 

Note: The polyphenol and oleocanthal content decreases over time, so freshness matters. Always check the harvest date on the label, not just the best-before date.

 

Not all EVOO is equal. Here is what to look for when buying:

 

•       Harvest date — Look for this on the label. EVOO is best consumed within 18 months of harvest. A best-before date alone tells you very little.

•       Dark glass bottle — Light degrades olive oil quickly. Avoid clear glass or plastic bottles.

•       Single variety vs blended — Single-variety oils (like those we sell) have a distinctive, traceable flavour. Blended oils are more consistent but less interesting.

•       Early harvest vs ripe harvest — Olives picked early (green, unripe) produce more bitter, peppery oils with higher polyphenol content. Ripe harvest oils are milder and smoother. Neither is better — it depends on your taste and use.

•       Country and producer — Look for oils with a named farm, region or PDO (Protected Designation of Origin). Vague labels like 'Product of the EU' are a red flag.

 

One of the most common myths about EVOO is that you cannot cook with it. You can — its smoke point of around 190–210°C is more than sufficient for everyday cooking, sautéing and even light frying.

 

Here are some of our favourite ways to use it:

 

•       Drizzle on toasted bread with a pinch of salt — or a tiny bit of sugar and cinnamon for a sweet version. A favourite in Spain and an instant breakfast upgrade.

•       Pour a glug of Picual over sliced ripe tomatoes or grilled aubergine and toss through fresh pasta. Simple and stunning.

•       Use Empeltre in baking — olive oil muffins and cakes have a wonderfully moist crumb with a subtle fruitiness.

•       Add Argudell to salad dressings, vinaigrettes and ceviches where its light, elegant flavour can shine.

•       Use Mis Raices organic oil in soups and dips — its mild, rounded character works beautifully in oliagua, hummus and baba ganoush.

•       In autumn, try roasting pumpkin or squash with Cornicabra and fresh herbs — the bitterness of the oil balances the sweetness of the pumpkin perfectly.

 

Have you ever tried olive leaf tea? Brew dried organic olive leaves in hot water for a delicate, slightly earthy tea that carries many of the same antioxidant properties as the oil itself.

 

 

Every oil we sell at Spanish Gastro Larder has been chosen through direct conversations with the farmers who grow the olives. We talk about harvest dates, soil types, processing methods and the particular character of each grove. We taste every oil before listing it.

 

It is a joyful thing to discover new varieties across the regions of Spain and to share them with customers in the UK who are curious about what makes one oil different from another. If you have questions about any of our oils — which variety to use for a particular dish, what an early harvest tastes like, or why one oil has more bitterness than another — we are always happy to talk.

 

 

What is the difference between extra virgin olive oil and regular olive oil?

Regular or 'pure' olive oil has been refined using heat and chemical solvents to remove defects and neutralise flavour. It is a processed product with very little nutritional value beyond its fat content. Extra virgin olive oil is unrefined — it retains all its natural antioxidants, polyphenols and flavour compounds. It is simply fresh olive juice, nothing added, nothing removed.

 

Can you cook with extra virgin olive oil?

Yes. Despite the common myth, EVOO has a smoke point of around 190–210°C, which is perfectly adequate for sautéing, roasting and pan-frying at normal temperatures. Its high polyphenol content also makes it more stable under heat than many seed oils. The only time you might choose a lighter oil is for very high-temperature deep frying above 200°C.

 

What does 'cold-pressed' mean?

Cold-pressed means the oil was extracted from the olives purely by mechanical means — grinding and pressing or centrifugation — without heating the paste above 27°C. Heat increases yield but destroys many of the antioxidants and aromatic compounds that make EVOO valuable. Cold-pressed is always preferable for both flavour and nutritional content.

 

How long does extra virgin olive oil last?

EVOO is at its best within 12–18 months of the harvest date. It does not go off in the sense of becoming dangerous to eat, but it does oxidise over time, becoming flat and rancid-tasting as the polyphenols degrade. Store it away from light and heat — a dark cupboard is ideal. Do not store it next to the hob.

 

What does 'early harvest' mean?

Early harvest refers to olives picked before they are fully ripe, usually in October or November. These olives contain more polyphenols and produce oil that is greener, more bitter and more peppery. The yield is lower (you get less oil per kilo of olives) which is why early harvest oils tend to be more expensive — but they are also more nutritious and more complex in flavour.

 

Why is my olive oil cloudy or has sediment?

Cloudiness or fine sediment in an unfiltered olive oil is completely normal and is actually a sign of minimal processing. It is simply tiny particles of olive pulp that have not been filtered out. The sediment will settle over time. Filtered oils appear clear and bright, while unfiltered oils have more body and a slightly more intense olive flavour.

 

Which Spanish olive oil variety is best for salads?

For salads and dressings, we recommend Argudell or Arbequina — both are mild, elegant and fruity without overpowering delicate leaves and vegetables. If you like a more robust dressing with a peppery kick, Picual is excellent. For a nutty, slightly golden dressing, Empeltre is lovely.

 

Is extra virgin olive oil good for you every day?

Yes — regular consumption of EVOO is a central feature of the Mediterranean diet, which has extensive evidence supporting its benefits for cardiovascular health, cognitive function and longevity. Two to four tablespoons per day is a typical intake in Mediterranean countries. It is calorie-dense, so balance is sensible, but as daily fats go, EVOO is among the most nutritionally beneficial you can choose.

 

 

→ Browse our Extra Virgin Olive Oil collection

→ Read more: Oliagua — Traditional Menorcan Tomato Soup Recipe

→ Read more: March Recipes with Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil