Olive trees are the backbone of Spain, both figuratively and literally. They span the Spanish landscape, especially in the south, in rows and rows, covering hills and valleys. In fact, driving through southern Spain, especially in Andalusia and Castilla-La Mancha, feels more like entering Spain’s beating heart and stepping through many centuries at once than it does taking a simple ride between cities and towns.

© Aoife O’Riordan

Olive trees have been grown in Spain and across the Mediterranean for thousands of years, and today Spain is the world’s largest producer, for good reason. Long before olive trees were imported to the Americas in the 16th century, olive trees, olive oil and olives satiated the people of Spain. But it wasn’t like the olive oil you’ll find anywhere else in the world; each Spanish olive oil farm and company clings to what makes their olives and products unique, whether it’s the soil in which the olive trees grow or the season the olives are harvested, or even how many times the oil is pressed and filtered. Essentially, Spanish olive oil is like liquid gold. Once you get a taste of authentic Spanish olive oil, you’ll find yourself turning up your nose at everything else.

Before touring an olive oil factory myself, I thought as we climbed the hill to Olibaeza’s Alcazar Cooperative in Jaén, “What could possibly be so special about this olive oil? Why do people care so much about it? It’s just olive oil.” I didn’t realize my expectations were so low because the “olive oil” I had been consuming back home was a far cry from true olive oil. Fun fact: The next time you buy olive oil at the store, check the bottle for a harvest date; if there isn’t one, you’re not consuming authentic olive oil.

Outside the facility, olive trees stretch as far as the eye can see, and I watched as the most recent batch of harvested olives was dumped into a large bin to separate olive from branch and leaf before ascending up a conveyer belt to begin its journey to becoming award-winning olive oil. The entire factory smells of olives and oil, and the scent carried me into one of the large manufacturing rooms where oil filtered into massive basins before being poured once more into another tank to perfect it.

Olibaeza olive oil tasting © Aoife O’Riordan

Witnessing the production was like watching artists at work, for the tweaking and crafting of such a product proves an art in itself. At the end of the tour we stood among towering metal tanks filled to the brim with olive oil. A table was laid out with a wide variety of Olibaeza’s olive oils, differing in the types of olives used (such as Picual and Arbequina) as well as time of harvest.

Olibaeza’s most iconic olive oil is a bright green, a massive but welcome departure from what I expected. While slices of fresh bread accompanied the oil, the guide encouraged us to disregard it, for it would mask the essence and full flavor profile of the oil.

© Aoife O’Riordan

I was then guided to warm the small cup of the green oil in my hand before taking a small sip, swishing it in my mouth and letting it cascade down my throat. In those few seconds my entire opinion of olive oil transformed. Nutty and somewhat fruity at first, as I swallowed the olive oil it left a subtle spiciness in my throat that I found borderline addicting. I loved it so much, in fact, a bottle of Olibaeza olive oil sits in my kitchen today, and I only use it for bread, salads and as a garnish on dishes, just as I was taught during my tour of Olibaeza.

In other words, visiting an olive oil facility like Olibaeza in Spain not only gives you a better appreciation of Spanish olive oil, but it also results in your bringing home more bottles of olive oil than you care to admit, using it sparingly in dishes to savor every last drop. Tasting it today brings me back to the olive trees in Baeza, and I am overcome with a sense of peace. Perhaps it’s one of the reasons the olive tree has served as a symbol of peace globally for centuries.

INFO TO GO

Olive oil factories and producers are a dime a dozen in Spain. Each region grows and harvests olives to create different tastes and notes. In southern Spain, fruity and bolder olive oils are more popular, while lighter and sweeter olive oils are more common in the north. For access to Andalusia’s many olive oil producers (such as Olibaeza), flying into Madrid (MAD), Málaga (AGP) and Granada (GRX) offers the best and easiest way to enter the countryside.

Renting a car simplifies visits to the more inland towns and cities like Jaén and Baeza.