Buying the best olive oil from Mallorca: what to look for

Are you looking for the best olive oil in Mallorca? The honest answer: there is no single “best”, but there is the oil that suits you. These criteria help you choose, whether at a farm shop on the island or online.

The main varieties in Mallorca

• Empeltre: the island's traditional variety, usually soft with little pungency.
• Arbequina: fruity and balanced, versatile in the kitchen.
• Picual: stronger, with more bitterness and pungency.
• Coupage: a blend of several varieties that aims to combine the best of each.

More on the difference between Arbequina and Picual in our variety comparison.

Origin and producer

Good olive oil names its producer, its origin and the harvest year. In Mallorca many small businesses work this way, for example Oli Caimarí from the Serra de Tramuntana or Antoni Mateu. The designation “Oli de Mallorca” stands for oil made from olives of the island.

Where do you buy olive oil in Mallorca?

• Directly from the producer or a farm shop: the best selection and advice.
• At weekly markets: a good chance to taste.
• In delicatessens: convenient, but check the harvest year.
• Online, after your holiday: no weight and liquid limits in your suitcase.

How much should good olive oil cost?

Artisan extra virgin olive oil is more expensive than mass-market oil, because harvest and pressing are more laborious. What matters is that the producer, origin and harvest year are transparent.

Where do you order olive oil from Mallorca?

You will find a selection from small producers under olive oil from Mallorca, shipped to Germany, Austria and other European countries. How to recognise quality is explained in our guide How to recognise good extra virgin olive oil.

Frequently asked questions

Which olive oil goes with bread?

A mild, fruity oil. For Mallorcan pa amb oli, Arbequina and mild coupages are popular.

Can I take olive oil in hand luggage?

Quantity limits apply to liquids in hand luggage. Larger bottles belong in checked luggage, or are better ordered online.

Reading label terms correctly

• “Extra virgin olive oil”: the highest grade, obtained purely mechanically and free of defects in taste.
• “Cold pressed” / “cold extracted”: extraction takes place at no more than 27 °C so aromas are preserved. The note is not a quality judgement but a process statement.
• Harvest year: the fresher the oil, the livelier its aroma.
• Origin: if it says “Mallorca” or “Oli de Mallorca” you know where the olives come from. “From the EU”, on the other hand, says little.
• Filtered or unfiltered: unfiltered oil is slightly cloudy; both can be good, but unfiltered oil should be used up quickly.

Typical mistakes when buying

• Buying an oil in a clear bottle that stood in the sun in a shop window.
• Deciding on price alone: a very low price for extra virgin olive oil is a warning sign.
• Choosing an oil without a harvest year and without a named producer.
• Buying containers that are too large when you use little oil: once opened, the oil ages faster.

How much effort goes into a good oil?

In Mallorca many olive trees stand on terraces in the Serra de Tramuntana. Care and harvest there are more laborious than on large, flat plantations. That is reflected in the price from small producers.

More questions

Is organic oil automatically better?

Not automatically: organic describes the cultivation, not the taste. You recognise quality by harvest year, producer, packaging and aroma.

How do I find an oil I like?

Taste. Start with a mild oil such as Arbequina and work your way up to stronger coupages.