The Picual variety of olives. Picual oil, characteristics.
The ‘Picual’ variety or cultivar, also known by the synonyms ‘Marteño’ and ‘Nevadillo’, among other names, is the most widely cultivated variety in the world, with an area that far exceeds one million hectares, of which some 850,000 are planted in Spain. It is dominant in the province of Jaén, with more than 95% of the olive-growing area and some 600,000 hectares cultivated. In the rest of Spain it extends throughout the olive-growing geography, having special importance, due to the cultivated area, in the provinces of Córdoba, Granada and Ciudad Real, bordering Jaén.
This variety is rapidly expanding throughout the olive world and can be found on all five continents. It is the most widely spread of all cultivated varieties. This expansion is due to its agronomic characteristics and the composition of its oils.
The ‘Picual’ variety has very vigorous trees, early in producing fruit, with high productivity and few alternate-bearing (alternating production). It is characterized by an excellent adaptation to mechanical harvesting due to both the size of the fruit and its low resistance to detachment.
It is considered a plastic variety due to its good adaptation to different climates and soils. It is, however, sensitive to drought and does not tolerate calcareous soils well. It is also sensitive to certain diseases such as ‘repilo’ or ‘ verticillium wilt ‘ although it is tolerant to other diseases.
The fruits are of medium size, between 2.5 and 3 grams, under normal conditions. They ripen at medium speed, with a high fat content and good extractability . It is worth noting that they have a very thin skin and a pulp of medium/low consistency, which represents an added difficulty in obtaining high quality oils, since as soon as the fruit is disturbed, unacceptable sensory nuances appear in the oils, hence the need to carry out all operations with extreme delicacy to obtain high-end oils.
Picual oil has a great personality, presenting very defined sensorial nuances that make it easily identifiable among the group of single-variety oils . It is a fruity, fragrant oil with positive notes of bitterness, spiciness and astringency. Its specific descriptors are the green aroma with a flavour of fig, fresh wood and tomato and with hints of almond, banana and apple among others.
Its intrinsic composition is particularly balanced with a high content of oleic acid , a monounsaturated fatty acid of high nutritional interest, low content of linoleic acid and medium content of palmitic acid. Its content of tocopherols (vitamin E) is considered high. Likewise, the quantity of total polyphenols, natural antioxidants of the oil, is high, which gives it specific sensory characteristics in addition to its antioxidant value.
This excellent composition of different compounds provides it with a very high resistance to oxidation and consequently to rancidity, and it can last for more than two years under suitable storage conditions. Source: Aceites Melgarejo
