Hojiblanca
Also known as Casta de Cabra or Lucentino, this olive is produced in the eastern part of Seville, the south of Córdoba, and the north of Málaga. It accounts for 16% of the Andalucian production, over an area of 217,000 hectares (540,000 acres).
The name comes from the white coloring on the underside of the leaves.
The olive is large, up to 4.8 grams, and is spherical in shape. The oil yield is relatively low, about 17-19%.
The oil has a high levels of fatty acid (75%) and linoleic acid (7%). The amount of saturated fatty acids is lower than in most other oils. These characteristics make oils produced from the Hojiblanca olive ideal for the diet.
From the organoleptic point of view, it has a large variety of flavors, with the most common attributes being a slight sweet taste in the beginning, a slight bitter taste of unripe fruits, and an almond aftertaste.
Recommended for frying, this oil is also ideal for making bread, pasta and pastries, due to the perfect consistency it gives to dough. These olives are also widely used and appreciated as black table olives, thanks to the firmness their flesh.
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Picual
This is the most important variety. It accounts for 50% of the production in Spain, and therefore about 20% of world production.
Nevertheless, it is not very widespread, with its production concentrated in Jaén and neighboring provinces, over an area of about 645,000 hectares (1.6 million acres).
Its name derives from its pointed tip (pico).
The olive is medium to large in size, weighing between 2.1 and 3.7 grams, with an average of 3.2 grams. The ratio between flesh and stone is 5:6. Maturation takes place between the beginning of November and mid-December. The oil yield is high, reaching about 27%, although the average is about 22%. The Denominations of Origin for this variety are Priego de Córdoba, Sierra de Segura and Sierra Mágina.
The excellence of the oil it produces is due to the fatty acid content and the antioxidants. It usually contains 80% monounsaturated oleic acid, an important factor in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, and only 4% linoleic acid, which is detrimental in excess.
The oils of low-lying lands tend to have more body, with a slightly bitter taste and a hint of wood, while the olives cultivated in the mountain regions tend to be sweeter, with a fresh flavor.
This oil is best used in frying, although it is equally good for salads and gazpachos.
Picudo
Also called Basta, Carrasqueño, Paseto or Pajarero. It is cultivated over 60,000 hectares (150,000 acres) mainly in Baena, in the south of Córdoba and to a lesser degree in the neighboring provinces of Jaén, Málaga, and Granada.
The name comes from its shape, a curved pointed tip with a marked nipple. The name of Pajarero (for birds) is used in the town of Luque (Córdoba), supposedly because the sweet flavor of the ripe fruit attracts birds, who peck at it.
The Picudo is the second-largest olive used in oil extraction, weighing an average of 4.8 grams. The flesh-to-stone ratio is 6:3. Maturation takes place from the end of November to the end of December. The average oil yield is about 20%. The Denominations of Origin of this variety are Baena and Priego de Córdoba.
The composition of fatty acids is similar to the Lechín variety. With 15% linoleic acid and up to 65% monounsaturated oleic acid, these oils are considered very delicate with a tendency to oxidation. The flavor of the oils is soft, with an exotic fruit aftertaste.
These olives are excellent as table olives, green and black. The oils they produce are ideal in warm salads, gazpachos, and pastries.
