CULTURE OF OIL
TYPES OF OLIVE OILS
FROM OUR OLIVE TREE TO YOUR TABLE
CAZORLIVA EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
IS THE RESULT OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY
VARIETIES OF OLIVES
OLIVE TREE
Vigorous top branches. Good leaf development. High productivity. It can adapt to different types of weather and soil.
ORIGIN
Limited growth of top branches, making it perfect for intensive plantations. Long and not twiggy shoots. Dark green color.
FRUIT
Medium to large, approximately 3.2 grams.
OLIVE OIL
Fruity green, fig, olive leaf, tomato and bitter.
PAIRINGS OF THE OLIVE OIL
Roasted meat, salads, pasta, fried and traditional dishes.
OLIVE TREE
Limited growth of top branches, making it perfect for intensive plantations. Long and not twiggy shoots. Dark green color.
ORIGIN
Extensively present in the Catalonian provinces of Tarragona and Lerida and also in some areas of the Aragon region, particularly in Zaragoza and Huesca.
FRUIT
Small, oval-shaped and nearly symmetrical, small to large, about 1.9 grams.
OLIVE OIL
Fruity, apple, banana, fluid and sweet.
PAIRINGS OF THE OLIVE OIL
Mayonnaise, lightly marinated food and confectionary pastries.
OLIVE TREE
Medium growth of top branches, with medium leaf density and a regular leaf surface.
ORIGIN
Its area of influence is concentrated in Andalusia, from the East of the province of Seville, to the South of Cordoba and the North of Malaga. It represents about 16% of Andalusia´s olive groves.
FRUIT
Large size, an average of 4.3 grams. Nearly a perfect sphere.
OLIVE OIL
Fresh-cut grass, almond and slightly pungent.
PAIRINGS OF THE OLIVE OIL
Preserved vegetables, vinaigrettes, pasta, sautéed dishes.
OLIVE TREE
Medium growth of top branches, of medium length, and limited formation of shoots.
ORIGIN
It is cultivated in the provinces of Toledo and Ciudad Real (region of Castilla La Mancha).
FRUIT
Long and slightly curved fruit, asymmetrical, bulged and flat on one side, and with the shape of a horn on the other side. Medium size and weight.
OLIVE OIL
Green fruit, apple and slightly pungent.
PAIRINGS OF THE OLIVE OIL
Fried food, crusts, salads, doughnuts.
PRODUCTION PROCESS
JAENCOOP GROUP TAKES CARE AND CONTROLS THE WHOLE PRODUCTION PROCESS
OF OLIVE OIL, FROM THE MOMENT WHEN IT IS HARVESTED FROM THE TREE UNTIL IT IS
BOTTLED AND IT REACHES THE FINAL CONSUMER
1. HARVESTING
It is one of the most important moments of the whole process, because it has a very big impact on the quantity and the quality of the yield of the current year and that of the following year, as well as on production costs. The perfect moment for harvesting is when the olives are full with the maximum amount of oil, and the highest quality is usually obtained when the green olives disappear or when the highest proportion of veraison olives is reached.
2. EXTRACTION
The old and traditional systems of the stone wheel and the hydraulic presses are well behind us, and the most extensively used system to extract olive oil is the two-stage centrifuge continuous system.
1. SELECTION OF OLIVES
Once the fruits have reached the mill, they undergo a selection and classification process that will separate them according to several aspects: their variety, whether they have been harvested from the branches or picked from the floor, whether they are healthy or have been attacked by diseases, etc. Then the olives are washed to remove any leaves or debris that may be mixed with them. After being washed, the fruits go into a hopper, where they are immediately CRUSHED. In order to obtain high quality olive oil it is essential to grind the fruits as soon as possible, in order to avoid any fermentation while stocked.
2. CRUSHING
Rotary hammers crush the olives and the paste obtained goes into a mixer (either a vertical or a horizontal mixer), which will make the paste homogeneous and will help separate the oil.
3. OIL SEPARATION
The decanter is a centrifuge with a horizontal axis that rotates the mixed mixture, separating the oil from the rest of components, the dregs of crushed olives (skin, flesh, pits and water). This first oil still has a lot of water and flesh in it, so it goes through a centrifuge with a vertical axis which will enhance oil separation.
4. NATURAL DECANTATION
The olive oil goes then into decanting tanks. Thanks to gravity and the different densities of olive oil and vegetable liquids and water, olive oil stays in the upper part of the tanks while vegetable liquids and water go down to the conic bottom, from where they are drained.
5. STORAGE
Olive oil is usually stored in stainless steel tanks, although sometimes glazed tile, polyester or fiberglass tanks are used. Olive oil should be protected from light, oxygen in the air and changes in temperature, which may hamper an appropriate preservation of olive oil.
3. BOTTLING AND CANNING
Bottling and canning must help keep the product in the best possible conditions for consumption. In order to avoid early oxidation and deterioration before bottling, olive oil is filtered in order to remove any suspended particles still present, the particles responsible for the cloudy aspect of olive oil.
OLIVE OIL TASTING
SENSORY EXPERIENCE
What is a tasting and how is it done?
Olive oil tasting is a 100% sensory experience where the senses of smell and taste play a key role.
1. VISUAL ANALYSIS
In this stage we look at the olive oil, trying to discern whether it is limpid, opaque or opalescent opaque. The color of olive oils may be within the range of yellow, golden and greenish shades. There exists a classification of colors that may correspond to defects, like reddish, off-white and brownish shades. But this stage is not decisive to estimate the quality of olive oils, so the EU´s rules on the general methodology and the organoleptic assessment criteria to be applied to olive oils do not refer to it.
2. OLFACTORY ANALYSIS
Some desirable traits are fruity with a touch of apple, banana, fig, ripe fruit or unripe fruit, tomato, green grass or green olive leaves. Some negative traits are sour, vinegary, moldy, rancid and musty.
3. GUSTATORY ANALYSIS
In the mouth we will detect the intensity of flavors, both fruity and green grass, tomato, mint or olive green leaves, among others. In the same way, we will perceive the different degrees of bitterness and pungency, which may be of low, medium or high intensity. And we will also feel the consistency of the oil, which may be mellow, soft, fluid or watery. Flavors that remind of dry leaves, mold, muddy or rotten are some of the negative attributes perceived by the palate.
At the end of the sensory tasting, tasters note the presence of qualities and defects, assessing and specifying the degree to which positive and negative attributes are perceived using a scale that goes from 0 minimum intensity to 10 maximum intensity. And this will define the profile of each of the samples.
The harmony and complexity of olive oils depends on the balance between scents and flavors. Harmonic olive oils are those which reach a balance between scent and flavor. On the other hand, unbalanced olive oils are those in which intensities are not weighted.
TASTING AT HOME
It is very easy to enjoy an olive oil tasting. There is no need to go to a tasting center or be an expert taster or panelist. Just be willing to discover more about this simple product, with its extraordinary qualities in terms of nutrition and health. YOU CAN ORGANIZE YOUR OWN OLIVE OIL TASTING AT HOME!
Professional tasters use a deep blue tasting cup. These cups hide the color of olive oil, so that tasters are not influenced by it, as in fact color is not a quality criterion.
If you are at home, simply use a small wineglass. Pour a little bit of olive oil, about one or two tablespoons, into the wineglass, until the bottom of the glass is totally covered. Warm the wineglass with your hands until the olive oil reaches a temperature of about 28 °C, as this will help you perceive its scents.
Now is when the olfactory stage starts. The taster smells the sample, inhaling briefly during a few seconds. A mix of smells will invade the taster´s nostrils. The most intense smells are identified first, such as fresh-cut grass or apple and almond – all of these known as fruity hints. The negative attributes are quickly revealed; it will be very easy to identify an olive oil with defects and one with no defects.
After the olfactory analysis, the taster will consider its flavor. Take a sip of about 3 g, so that the olive oil reaches all the taste buds within the mouth, covering the frontal part and the tongue, the sides of the mouth and also the back and the palate. The explosion of flavors invades the palate and then the sense of touch will also be important. The taster holds his breath, keeping his tongue close to the palate and his lips slightly open, and then relaxes. It is through this contact that the taster can assess texture, and determines whether the olive oil is mellow, fluid or watery.
Share this symphony of aromas, flavors and textures with your family and friends!
