The advantages of the Mediterranean climate along with the characteristics of the natural environment have made the Valencian Community the ideal spot for the olive grove. It has been grown in our region since back in Roman times as is borne out by the existence of various age-old olive trees. Information from encyclopaedic sources also lends us the reference of the famous Valencian botanist Antonio José de Cavanilles who, in the 18th century, commented in his work Historia Natural, Geografía, Agricultura, población y frutos del reyno de Valencia (A Natural History, Geography, Agriculture, population and fruits of the kingdom of Valencia) commented that the growing and production of olive oil continued to be an activity which was very present in our autonomous community.

The olive grove from Alicante symbolises the actual tree where the process to prepare this oil commences and ending up on the consumer's table. It also represents, as a whole, the sum of efforts, olive tree by olive tree, hand in hand, farmer by farmer, cooperative by cooperative, boosting the quality and taste for the traditional product and this exquisite tradition. The olive grove is the main crop in a large part of the municipalities in the district of Montaña de Alicante and it is endowed with a rich historic tradition. Olive growing can be found here as an activity with a high degree of cooperative organisation and virgin olive oil is the product with the most revaluation nationwide.

The Key lies in the bitterness

One of the characteristics of our oils is the bitter aftertaste they leave in our throats. This flavour can be put down to the variety of the olive used, the level of maturity thereof when it is harvested and the climatic influence on the crop. The bitterer it is, the greater the content of polyphenols and antioxidant substances we will find.  In less rainy years the oils are usually bitterer and spicier. Those coming from green olives are also bitterer. Why is this so important? Because bitterness is always a positive sensorial attribute on tasting panels, thereby ensuring that it has the best properties which are beneficial to health.