15 of the Best Spanish Olive Oils to Try (2023)

January 2023 – The Spanish Radish Blog

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is healthy, tasty, and is a pantry staple for many households. Make 2023 your year to explore new varieties, try new recipes with EVOO, and enjoy the health benefits and flavor sensations as a result. 

Spain is the biggest producer of olive oil in the world. We’re lucky enough to live in this country where it’s nicknamed “liquid gold.” Supermarkets offer plenty of options, and specialty stores take it to a new level. Wherever you call home, we’d like to share the best Spanish extra virgin olive oils to try in 2023. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

We understand that sourcing Spanish EVOO can be tricky in some countries. It can also be expensive to buy top-shelf brands. But don’t worry, there’s an abundance of excellent-quality Spanish EVOO that won’t break the bank. We’ll share some links at the bottom of the article to point you in the right direction. 

1. Rincón de la Subbética 
2. Serie Oro Parqueoliva
3. Casolí
4. Palacio de Los Olivos 
5. Primicia 
6. Oro Bailen 
7. Benizar
8. Garcia de la Cruz
9. Bravoleum
10. Patio de Los Leones
11. Finca la Barca
12. Monteoliva
13. Cortijo de Suerte Alta
14. Campos de Sanaa
15. Prólogo

15 Top Spanish olive oils to try in 2023

First of all, we’d like to say that all extra virgin olive oils are amazing. They not only have a premium taste but EVOOs offer you the greatest health benefits. From fighting cancers to improving mental health, it’s pretty incredible what this seemingly simple ingredient has the potential to do. 

For that reason, it’s difficult to pick the best Spanish EVOOs for a whole year. We’ve done this largely by looking at the awards producers and oils won in 2022. It was originally going to be a list of five but we’ve ended up with 15: the top (top) six, and another nine that still won incredible awards so we just had to include them.

Award-Winning Olive Oil

The top six all won platinum in 2022 at the London International Olive Oil Competition (IOOC) in the ‘quality’ category and gold at the New York International Olive Oil Competition (NYIOOC). This is a huge accomplishment, so congratulations to all of these producers who must be unbelievably proud. 

The additional nine that we’ll share all won gold at the 2022 London IOOC in the ‘quality’ category and gold at the NYIOOC. A massive congratulations to these producers too, who did so well at two of the most prestigious olive oil competitions in the world.

Our top 6 Spanish EVOOs to try in 2023

We’ll briefly introduce each of the producers and give you the most important points to note about each oil. We’ve also made a table summarizing the winners at the end of this section. So, here are the Spanish EVOO shining stars of 2023, in no particular order…

Rincón de la Subbética

Rincón de la Subbética is by the producer, Almazaras de la Subbetica. With more than 60 years of experience, they produce many award-winning oils (including the next on our list). They are located in Andalusia in the Parque Natural de las Sierras Subbéticas, which is a protected cultivation area. 

Rincón de la Subbética is a hojiblanca variety, organic, and starts sweet but finishes spicy. This oil has won a plethora of awards in recent years in many competitions. 

Serie Oro Parqueoliva

Serie Oro Parqueoliva is also by the producer, Almazaras de la Subbetica, which was formed out of a group of cooperatives, and thousands of families are involved in this venture. Their focus is on the environment, community, and of course, producing the highest-quality extra virgin olive oil. Mission accomplished it seems!

As an oil, Serie Oro Parqueoliva is a blend of Picuda and Hojiblanca olives and has a robust flavor. It has also consistently won awards over the years. 

Nice side note: Almazaras de la Subbetica donates €4 from every bottle sold to Sonrisas Sin Cáncer on their site, to go toward children’s cancer research projects.

Casolí 

Casolí is by the producer, Mil&Un Verd, in the Catalonia region. It’s a recently formed brand that came about after long chats between a granddad and his grandson. The result is a fusion between modern and traditional.

Casolí is made from Arbosana olives. It’s a green and fruity oil that has a medium intensity in bitterness and spiciness. It also has a strong sweet quality and aromas of grass, green almond shells, tomato, and fennel. 

Palacio de Los Olivos (Picual)

Palacio de Los Olivos (Picual) is by the producer, Olivapalacios. It’s a family business in the Castilla-La Mancha region. The olive grove is set on volcanic soil, making it nutrient-rich and giving it unique sensory qualities. Olivapalacios uses top technology and is sustainable and respectful in each part of the production process.

Palacio de Los Olivos is made from picual or arbequina olives. Both win many awards but the picual just beats the arbequina variety as it achieved both a platinum (London IOOC) and a gold (NYIOOC).

If you love arbequina, it’s a fantastic EVOO too, so grab both! The arbequina also won a platinum award at the London IOOC, and it won a silver at the NYIOOC.

Primicia (Picual)

Primicia is by the producer, Martín de Prado. The olive groves are in Extremadura and it’s a fourth-generation family business committed to the agri-food sector. 

Primicia comes in many olive varieties but it’s the picual we’re focusing on today and the variety that took home a platinum (London IOOC) and gold (NYIOOC) award. This picual EVOO is green and fruity, with a low to medium intensity of bitterness and spiciness, and a medium level of sweetness. 

Oro Bailen (Picual Bio)

Oro Bailen is by the producer, Aceites Oro Bailen Galgon 99 S.L. It is run by the GÁLvez – GONzález family. They win numerous accolades every year for the various oils they produce. 

The Oro Bailen Picual Bio EVOO is bright green with an intenser fruity flavor. It has a herby and fruity aroma with notes of green banana, almond, and green tomato. It’s sweet and slightly spicy.

Summary of the top six Spanish olive oils to try in 2023:

FAQs

What is special about Spanish olive oil?

Spain produces the largest quantity of olive oil in the world. With this comes a wide variety of olives that deliver flavors and intensity levels to suit every dish and taste. Picual is the most common olive, and it is typically full-bodied with some spice and bitterness. 

Is Spanish olive oil good quality?

Yes, Spanish olive oil is good quality. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the highest quality and hundreds of Spanish EVOOs win awards every year. This means the taste is exceptional plus you get better health benefits from consuming EVOO. 

Can I cook with Spanish olive oil?

Yes, you can cook with Spanish olive oil. One of the best olive oils to cook with is picual because it has a higher smoke point. It’s also the most common olive variety in Spain so one of the easiest to find. 

Is Spanish oil good for health?

Spanish olive oil is good for your health, especially extra virgin olive oils. These are full of “good” fats that help keep you full for longer. They’re also packed full of antioxidants and nutrients that can help fight or prevent many illnesses and diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. 

Is Spanish olive oil high in polyphenols?

Polyphenols are found in certain plant-based foods like olive oil. Some bottles are labeled with phenolic content. The healthiest olive oils—and usually those with the highest concentration of polyphenols—are extra virgin olive oils. Polyphenols degrade with heat, so if you’re after health benefits, consume EVOO raw.