What is the most popular type of olive oil I sell? The answer suprised me

In countries that don't produce olive oil people tend to favour the lighter, more delicate olive oil varieties and I assumed that in Ireland it would be the same but that's just not the case.

Here, it's all about the early harvest robust, peppery extra virgin olive oils like the ones from Spain made with early harvest Picual olives. In my experience these outsell the lighter ones by a margin of 2:1. That is great news in terms of health benefits because early harvest olive oils offer fresher, greener notes with lots of robust flavour but also LOTS of polyphenols, the anti oxidants that make olive oil such a superfood.

What are early harvest olive oils?

The clue is in the name. Early harvest olive oils are made with olives that are harvested when they are slightly underipe. This means they are greener tasting with those bitter notes that so many people love . In Spain these oils are harvested in October, even in late September. Later harvest or "mature" olive oils are mellower and not as green because basically the olives have spent more time on the tree getting fatter and less concentrated. This means the yield is bigger which brings the price down. The olives for these oils can be harvested as late as December even January although the later you go the flatter the flavour will be. The "later harvest" olive oils I stock like the 1640 range still pretty green by most standards and come from olives harvested relatively early in late October/early November. 

What are the health benefits of early harvest olive oils?

So many but essentially it comes down to a group of natural plants compounds found in plants called polyphenols that act as powerful antioxidants, helping to protect the body from oxidative stress and inflammation. These polyphenols are produced when plants are stressed and the long hot summers and extended dry periods you get in Mediterranean countries offer the perfect conditions. 

Why are foods rich in polyphenols so good for us?

Scientists are doing a lot research into this at the moment and it feels like I read something new everyday but in a nutshell the leading benefit of olive oil rich in polyphenols is its anti-inflammatory properties. Studies show that polyphenols offer

What does Picual olive oil taste like?

Aswell as all these great health benefits early harvest Picuals are packed with flavour. Above all you can expect tomato. You know when you're on holidays and you smell a beautiful tomato at a market. It's THAT kind of tomato smell. Then, you'll often get notes of other fruits like green apple and banana. You may even get notes of artichoke, fig and olive leaf. This will be followed by the show stopping peppery finish that makes Picual such a winner and so delicious with so many ingredients. 

How to use Picual olive oil

• Use it to supercharge ANY tomato dish.
• Drizzle on bread
• Serve alongside charcuterie boards boards,
• Drizzle on anything off the BBQ
• Drizzle on soups and stews
• And what you might not expect - Picual is fabulous with chocolate. That spicey, peppery finish really takes any chocolate dish to the next level. Try it over chocolate ice-cream for a healthy, moreish upgrade. 
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