The Evooleum Awards this year celebrated their 6th edition. This international competition, which despite its short life is already the most important award in the olive oil sector, aims to develop a ranking of the 100 best extra virgin oils of the world, something unprecedented so far.
This year, a Spanish oil, from a cooperative of Baeza (Jaén), has won the first prize of the contest, being the only one to reach 97 points out of 100. It is one point more than what was reached by last year’s winner, Italian oil Don Giocchino Grand Cru.
In a top 10 dominated by Italy and Spain, we found three other oils from our country, all Andalusian, all fresh from the oil mill and with available stock. A unique opportunity to taste everything that olive oil has to offer.
These are the four best olive oils Spanish people:
For the first time in the six editions of Evooleum, the best oil in the world is from a cooperative. A major achievement for the farmers of the cooperative Campo El Alcázar, de Baeza (Jaén), which is one of the largest producers in the province.
We are facing a single varietal picual olive, early harvest (like all the winners). Its olives are selected from the 5,330 hectares of its partners, choosing plots that are harvested as soon as the campaign begins in October.
The tasting note qualifies it as an oil “extremely complex, round, harmonious and with an eternal persistence that is burned into the memory”. Impossible to beat these verses from the guide’s tasters, but we have tested it and it is riconudo.
Although its beautiful 500 ml bottle has been exhausted, the same oil is available in a bag in the box, with 3 L capacity, through the Olivarte store.
Bag In Box “Premium” 3 Liters
Almaoliva arbequino
With 96 points, in second place tying with individual oils from Italy and Croatia, we find this juice from Almazaras de la Subbética. The Cordoba company managed to win the top 3 last year as well and in 2021 it repeats in the ranking, placing two oils in the top 10. A major achievement for this merger of cooperatives created in 2007 that has positioned itself as one of the best oil producers in the world.
East monovaretial arbequina oil It is a classic of the oil competitions of the last decade. It is made with selected olives from the first harvest, between October and November.
The tasting note defines it as “exceptional” in terms of smell, with “an intense aroma of fresh green olives with a touch of ripe fruit” and a “Infinite sweetness” in the mouth, with an extremely balanced itch and bitterness.
This oil can be purchased on the Almazaras de la subbética website, but also on Amazon.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Almaoliva Arbequino 500Ml
Rincón de la subbetica altitude
Repeat in the ranking the best Spanish olive oil of the last edition, Rincón de la subbética altitude. The oil is pressed in the first days of harvest, with a selection of hojiblanca olives Hand-picked in the olive groves of the cooperative’s best farms, located within the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, and with an ecological certificate.
Protected by the PDO Priego de Córdoba, the tasters point out that this is an oil “that surprises on the nose due to its fruity green olive with some pleasant notes of grass and olive leaf” and on the palate it is “sweet, fluid and elegant”. As a whole, the tasters say, “it can be classified as very harmonious and extremely round.”
Like the previous oil, it can be purchased on the Almazaras de la subbética website, but also on Amazon.
Rincón de la Subbética – Organic extra virgin olive oil, 500 ml
Maeva & Toro
This veteran company from Escúzar (Granada), whose activity dates back to 1930, has managed to climb to the tenth position in the ranking with a coupage oil, of the hojiblanca, picual and arbequina varieties.
Again, we are facing a early harvest oil, whose olives are ground at the moment. In tasting, they say, it is “extremely complex” on the nose, fruit and vegetable at the same time and with “ripe touches” that give it personality. On the palate “it comes in very sweet and balanced, with medium spicy and bitterness.
It is the only oil that we do not find available in any Online store, although it does not seem exhausted.
Some of the links posted here are from affiliates. Despite this, none of the articles mentioned have been proposed either by the brands or by the stores, their introduction being a unique decision of the team of editors.
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