What is the best olive oil in Spain? 8 great brands

A review of the best olive oil brands from Spain.

Olive oil is one of the most valuable standards of the Iberian gastronomic culture.. For more than half a century, Spain's most prized and desired souvenir has been a dark green bottle. "The liquid gold", the Arabs used to call it when they conquered part of the Hispanic territory.

At present, it is calculated that the amount of liters of olive oil exported abroad, with Europe as the main client, is estimated at around 2,500 million euros according to expert newspapers such as the Economist and the Expansion. Contrasting the data of the Organization of Consumers and Users (O.C.U) of the year 2017, the oil supposes one of the most powerful economic engines for the Spanish economy, especially of the region of Andalusia.

What are the 8 best Spanish olive oils?

As it happens in most food products, the ordinary consumer will hardly notice the difference between one brand or another, especially in a product so homogeneous to the palate's taste. To determine the quality of each manufacturing company, the C.U.O. is usually the benchmark to take into account when solving a similar dilemma.

Consequently, this organization has taken into account factors such as the authenticity of the product (checking whether it has been adulterated with other oils or liquids), labeling, peroxides, acidity and, of course, the quality-price ratio. Next we will see which are the 8 best olive oil brands in Spain, with their descriptions.with their descriptions.

Hacendado Gran Selección

Incredible as it may seem, the Valencia-based supermarket chain has the honor of being part of the list of the best olive oil producers at national level.

The surprise is given by the category of the product, called in the business world as "white brand".. A "premium" product is expected to top the list, but there is always an exception.

2. Oleoestepa

In 2015, this brand of the Oleoestepa Cooperative, based in the town of Estepa (Seville), was considered the best extra virgin olive oil brand by Germany at the famous Olive Oil Award, held in the city of Nuremberg, Germany, in 2015. which took place in the city of Nuremberg. More specifically, Oleoestepa received such recognition thanks to its launching of a "gourmet" line with its star product "Egregio".

Tested by the best chefs in Spain, this brand has consecutively topped all rankings.

3. Auchan

Another private label line has once again broken into the list of top brands in the olive oil sector.. The French supermarket chain distributes its 1-liter bottles with a rating of about 90 points out of 100, according to the O.C.U.

Apart from its taste and texture, Auchan oil has been considered the best oil for seasoning with salads.

4. El Corte Inglés Bio

The Areces family's department store based in Madrid is famous for its "Gourmet" section, which corresponds to the food segment, since El Corte Inglés specializes in other types of products, such as clothing or household appliances, as well as tourism and other related services. It is perhaps for this reason that the fact that a product of this category has slipped into this list is somewhat anomalous, but it is: it is another of the best brands of olive oil.

5. Borges Oil

Here we have another historic product on the list of the best Spanish (and European) olive oils. Who hasn't seen one of those endearing ads for family dinners in which Borges oil is the protagonist? It is one of the best sellers in Spain and abroad, especially in France and Italy.

Its star product is Arbequina oil, with a fruity flavor that has won over the palate of the users..

6. Maeva Organic

Once again, we return to southern lands. This cooperative, based in Granada, has received a large number of awards for the purity of its oils, both in Spain and abroad. Its influence has even reached Japan itself, obtaining the Gold Medal Olive award in 2016..

This family business was founded by Mr. Luis Torres Torres in 1930 and survived the worst years of Spain's modern history thanks to its subsequent internationalization.

7. Koipe

Aceites Koipe is part of a Madrid-based holding company called Deoleo.. It is a relatively new brand, born in 1990, but it has managed to establish itself in the domestic and foreign markets, with exports to places as far away as the Oceanic continent (Australia and New Zealand), Asia (India and Pakistan) and North America (Alaska).

8. La Española

Although it occupies an insignificant position in this ranking, the oil company "La Española" is the oldest oil brand in the world, is the oldest national olive oil brand in Spain..

Founded in 1840, its name corresponds to one of the colonies in American territory of the former Spanish Empire, an island whose name was baptized by the son of Christopher Columbus himself, Hernando. And it was then that he himself began to export tons of this Sevillian oil to supply the needs of the locals.

Bibliographic references:

• ocu.org