There is one question we always ask at the beginning of our extra virgin olive oil tastings:
How many types of olive oil are there?
Most people answer things like “mild”, “intense”, “olive oil”, or “extra virgin”. But the reality is a bit more complex… and also far more interesting.
Understanding the different types of olive oil is key to knowing what we are buying, what we are eating, and what we are tasting. That’s why, before starting any tasting, we like to explain this short guide that today we are also sharing here.
Spoiler: not all olive oil is extra virgin olive oil.
1. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL (EVOO): the highest category
Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality category of olive oil.
It is obtained exclusively through mechanical processes, simply extracting the juice of the olives without chemical treatments or refining.
For an oil to be classified as extra virgin it must meet several requirements:
- acidity below 0.8%
- controlled chemical parameters (peroxides, K270, etc.)
- no sensory defects in aroma or taste
- evaluation by a professional tasting panel
This means a good EVOO should have:
- fresh olive aromas
- vegetal or fruity notes
- balanced bitterness and pungency
- a high content of natural antioxidants, very beneficial for health
In other words: it is olive juice of the highest possible quality.
2. VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
The next category is virgin olive oil.
It is also mechanically extracted olive juice, but it may present small sensory defects or slightly higher acidity (up to 2%).
It is perfectly safe for consumption, but:
- it has lower sensory quality
- it contains fewer antioxidant compounds
- it is often used more for cooking than for raw consumption
The difference with extra virgin oil therefore lies not in the process, but in the quality of the fruit and the final tasting result.
3. LAMPANTE OLIVE OIL: not suitable for consumption
Here appears a name that often surprises people: lampante oil.
This oil comes from lower-quality olives (overripe, fallen from the tree, or fermented) and has many defects and an acidity above 2%, making it not suitable for human consumption.
Historically, it was used as fuel for oil lamps — hence the name lampante.
Today this oil is used for industrial refining processes.
4. “OLIVE OIL” (the typical supermarket one)
This is where confusion often begins.
When a label simply says “olive oil”, it usually means a blend of refined olive oil and a small percentage of virgin olive oil.
Refined oil is obtained by treating defective oils (such as lampante) with chemical or thermal processes to remove their defects.
The result is an oil that is:
- very neutral
- low in aroma
- lower in beneficial compounds or any of them
The versions labelled “mild” or “intense” do not indicate quality, but rather different proportions in the blend.
5. OLIVE POMACE OIL
There is still another type: olive pomace oil.
Pomace is the solid residue left after extracting olive oil (skin, pulp and pit). More oil can be extracted from this residue using industrial processes, after which it is refined and blended with virgin oil.
It is suitable for consumption and widely used in the food service industry because it is economical and performs well in frying, but it does not have the properties or sensory richness of a good EVOO.
And then… the interesting part begins
Once we understand this basic classification, a much more fascinating world opens up.
Because within extra virgin olive oils there are endless differences depending on:
- the olive variety (arbequina, picual, argudell…)
- the territory
- the harvest moment
- the type of cultivation (organic, traditional…)
- the production process
Each combination creates completely different aromas, textures and personalities.
That is why, when we host a tasting, we always like to remind people of one simple idea:
Olive oil is not just another ingredient.
It is a gastronomic product full of nuances.
And the best way to understand it is taste, compare… and let yourself be surprised!
