As one of the oldest varieties of plants domesticated and cultivated, there are hundreds of cultivars (varieties). Some of them are table olives (larger in size) and others (smaller in size) are specifically for making oil.

There are many olive cultivars, each with a particular flavor, texture, and shelf life that make them more or less suitable for different applications, such as direct human consumption on bread or in salads, indirect consumption in cooking, or industrial uses such as animal feed or engineering applications.

During the stages of maturity, olive fruit changes color from green to violet, and then black. Each olive cultivar has its own unique chemical and taste characteristics, and oils made from the same cultivar can differ depending on the cultivation, harvesting, and processing variations.

Olive oil made from a single variety is called a monovarietal, or monocultivar olive oil. Blends are crafted using oils from two or more cultivars.

Some of the best olive oils are monocultivar, while other, with a more complex taste, are made from a combination of various cultivars.

We have identified over 80 olive oil types. Some are very well known and specific to a geographical area: Frantoio, Leccino, Moraiolo (well known and extensively used in Italy), Arbequina and Piqual (specific to Spain), Koroneiki (Greece), or the Madural Transmontana and Macanila (from Portugal),