If one olive defines Spanish olive oil, it is Picual. It is the most widely grown variety in the country, the undisputed queen of Ja\u00e9n and the source of some of the most intense and award-winning extra virgin olive oils in the world. Getting to know it is the best way into olive oils with character.<\/p>\n\n
In short<\/p>\n
Its name comes from the shape of the fruit, which ends in a small point (pico<\/em> in Spanish). Depending on the area it is also known as Marte\u00f1a, Nevadillo blanco or Lopere\u00f1a. Its heartland is Ja\u00e9n<\/strong>, the largest olive oil producing province in the world, although it is also grown in C\u00f3rdoba, Granada and other parts of Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha and Extremadura.<\/p>\n Several Protected Designations of Origin work mainly with Picual: Sierra M\u00e1gina<\/strong>, Sierra de Segura<\/strong>, Sierra de Cazorla<\/strong> and Aceite de Ja\u00e9n<\/strong>, among others. The altitude and soils of each range give it different nuances.<\/p>\n\n Picual is a variety with personality. In a good-quality oil, and especially in early harvest oils, you will find:<\/p>\n When the olives are picked riper, the oil gains fruity notes such as banana or ripe apple and the bitterness softens, but it keeps its character. Far from being a defect, bitterness and pungency are a sign of a high polyphenol content.<\/p>\n\n Picual has one of the highest oleic acid<\/strong> contents among Spanish varieties, usually above 75%, and very little linoleic acid, the fat most prone to oxidation. Add its abundant polyphenols and the result is an oil that stands up better to time and to high temperatures.<\/p>\n In practice this means two things: a well-stored Picual stays fresh for more months than other varieties, and it is an excellent choice for frying<\/strong>, because it breaks down less with heat.<\/p>\n\nWhat Picual olive oil tastes like<\/h2>\n
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Why it keeps so well<\/h2>\n
Pairings: where it shines<\/h2>\n
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