Buying guide · Labels
On the shelf, bottles that look alike sit side by side, yet they are not the same. Extra virgin, virgin, olive oil and pomace oil are four different products, with different processes, flavours and prices. This guide helps you read the label in a minute and choose with confidence.
In a few words
- EVOO (extra virgin): olive juice, unrefined, maximum acidity of 0.8% and no defects. The highest category.
- Virgin olive oil: also unrefined, but allows minor defects and acidity of up to 2%.
- Olive oil, "mild" or "intense": a blend of refined oil with some virgin oil.
- Olive pomace oil: extracted with solvents from the olive residue, then refined.
The four categories at a glance
| Category | How it is made | Max. acidity | Flavour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra virgin | Mechanical means only | 0.8% | Fruity, complex, bitter and peppery |
| Virgin | Mechanical means only | 2% | Flatter, with a slight defect |
| Olive oil | Refined + virgin | 1% | Neutral |
| Olive pomace oil | Solvents + refining | 1% | Neutral |
What EVOO is
Extra virgin olive oil is, quite literally, olive juice. It is obtained by physical processes alone — crushing, malaxing and centrifuging — with no excess heat or chemicals. To earn the category it must pass a laboratory analysis and an official tasting confirming it is fruity and free of defects. We explain it in depth in what is EVOO.
The difference between categories begins at the tree, not on the label
What virgin olive oil is
It is made in the same way as extra virgin, but falls short of its standard: the tasting detects a slight defect or acidity exceeds 0.8%, up to a maximum of 2%. It usually comes from riper olives, picked from the ground or left waiting longer before reaching the mill. It is still unrefined, but with less aroma and fewer polyphenols.
What plain "olive oil" is
This is where most confusion lies. When the label says just olive oil, often with the words "mild" or "intense", it is a blend of refined oil with a small share of virgin oil. Refining corrects defects, but it also strips out much of the aroma and natural antioxidants.
"Mild" and "intense" say nothing about quality: they indicate how much virgin oil has been added to give the blend some flavour.
And olive pomace oil
It comes from pomace, the paste left after the virgin oil has been extracted. Solvents are used to recover the remaining oil, which is then refined. It is an industrial product, useful for large-scale frying, with nothing in common with an extra virgin oil.
Olive juice, freshly cold-extracted
Within EVOO: organic and designation of origin
Extra virgin is the highest category, but not all offer the same guarantees. Two seals add external control:
Organic EVOO
Grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, respecting soil life and biodiversity, and audited every season by an official body. In Catalonia, the CCPAE.
Protected Designation of Origin
It guarantees a specific geographical origin, authorised varieties and additional quality controls. Spain has more than thirty olive oil PDOs. The PDO Siurana, in southern Catalonia, covers Arbequina oils from Priorat and Baix Camp.
Siurana · The land that gives the designation its name
Double guarantee
An organic EVOO with a PDO combines three layers of control: the technical quality of extra virgin, the oversight of organic farming and the traceability of the designation of origin. That is the case with our Arbequina Family Reserve EVOO.
Why does a premium EVOO cost more?
Olive oil prices have been highly volatile in recent years because of drought and changing harvests. But the gap between a limited-production EVOO and a mass-market oil is not just about the market:
- 01Early harvest: green olives yield less oil per kilo.
- 02Hand picking: many more hours of work per tree.
- 03Immediate cold milling: lower yield, higher quality.
- 04Dry, mountain farming: less production per hectare.
- 05Certifications: external controls every season.
You pay for fewer litres and more aroma, freshness and polyphenols. That is why a good EVOO is used with intention: raw, to finish a dish.
The difference is not in the name. It is in the process, in the care of the fruit and in respect for the land.
Which olive oil should you choose?
It depends on how you use it. For everyday cooking at moderate temperatures, any extra virgin is a good choice: it is heat-stable, as we explain in which is the healthiest fat?. For dressing, finishing dishes and enjoying oil as an ingredient, choose an early-harvest EVOO with a visible harvest date and identified origin. And if you also value respect for the environment, make it organic and PDO.
Family Reserve · Organic · PDO Siurana
2026 Harvest · Priorat
Double guarantee: organic and PDO Siurana.
Arbequina · Early harvest · Hand-picked · Cold-extracted
Frequently asked questions
What people ask us most about EVOO, virgin and olive oil
What is the difference between EVOO and virgin olive oil?
EVOO must have no sensory defects and acidity of 0.8% or less. Virgin olive oil allows slight defects and acidity of up to 2%. Both are obtained by mechanical means only, without refining.
Is extra virgin olive oil the same as olive oil?
No. Extra virgin is unrefined olive juice. Plain olive oil is a blend of refined oil with a small share of virgin oil, which is why it is more neutral and keeps fewer antioxidants.
What do "mild" or "intense" olive oil mean?
They are refined olive oils blended with more or less virgin oil. The words describe the intensity of the blend, not its quality. They are not extra virgin.
What is olive pomace oil?
Oil obtained from pomace, the paste left after virgin oil extraction, using solvents and refining. It is an industrial oil with a neutral flavour.
Why do olive oil prices vary so much?
Because of the category, the timing of the harvest, the picking method, yield per hectare and certifications. An early-harvest, hand-picked EVOO produces far fewer litres per kilo of olives.
Can you fry with extra virgin olive oil?
Yes. It is stable at home cooking temperatures thanks to its oleic acid and antioxidants. For industrial, repeated frying, olive oil or pomace oil are usually used for cost reasons.
What does organic EVOO mean?
That it has been produced under European organic farming regulations, without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, and that an official body certifies the process every season.
What does a designation of origin add to olive oil?
It guarantees that the oil comes from a defined geographical area and authorised varieties, and that it has passed additional controls by the regulatory council.
Sources
- Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2022/2104 on marketing standards for olive oil.
- International Olive Council. internationaloliveoil.org
- Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Olive oil PDOs. mapa.gob.es
