How to choose olive oil: flavor, use, and format

A mild olive oil for salad, a more intense one to taste with bread, a bottle to give as a gift or a large can for the kitchen: the choice starts with the flavour and how you plan to use it.

For seasoning and cooking

Olive oil shows its flavour best when used raw. Drizzled over bread, in a salad or on freshly served soup, you can distinguish mild profiles from fruitier, bitter or pungent ones. Bitterness and pungency can be positive attributes, not defects.

EA Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 500 ml has a fruity profile, with slight bitterness and pungency. It is a versatile choice for salads, sauces and fish or meat dishes.

Extra virgin, virgin, acidity and colour

Our selection includes extra virgin olive oils and Álamos Virgin Olive Oil, 5 L. These are distinct categories, defined by chemical and sensory analysis. Within each category, choose the flavour you like and the size that suits you best.

Acidity measures free fatty acids, not flavour intensity or pungency. Olive oil with lower acidity is not necessarily milder. To choose by flavour, check the product description.

Colour does not determine quality either: a green olive oil is not better than a golden one for that reason alone.

PDO, PGI and organic

PDO: link to origin

The Protected Designation of Origin identifies an olive oil with characteristics linked to its geographical environment. The olives come from the defined area, and all stages of production, processing and preparation take place in that area, in accordance with the designation’s rules. Look for the protected name and the PDO symbol on the label.

PGI: a different geographical link

For a Protected Geographical Indication, a quality, reputation or other characteristic is linked to the origin. At least one stage of production, processing or preparation takes place in the defined area. PDO and PGI distinguish different links to origin, not levels of flavour intensity.

Organic: the production method

The European Union organic logo identifies a product certified according to organic production rules. The control body code and the origin of the agricultural raw materials appear next to the symbol. Certification relates to the production method; it does not indicate whether the olive oil is milder or more intense.

Facts about Portuguese olive oil

Six designations, three in Alentejo

Portugal has six protected designations of origin for olive oil: Moura Olive Oil, Trás-os-Montes Olive Oil, Alentejo Interior Olive Oil, Beira Interior Olive Oils, Norte Alentejano Olive Oils and Ribatejo Olive Oils. Moura, Alentejo Interior and Norte Alentejano are the three linked to Alentejo.

The same variety, different origins

Galega appears in several Portuguese designations. In Ribatejo DOP Olive Oils, it is combined with Lentisca; in Trás-os-Montes DOP Olive Oil, the varieties include Verdeal transmontana, Madural, Cobrançosa and Cordovil. Olive blends are part of each origin’s identity.

Award-winning Portuguese olive oils

Portugal was among the countries to receive awards at the 2025 Mario Solinas awards, in the Northern Hemisphere edition organised by the International Olive Council. A total of 130 extra virgin olive oils from 11 countries competed, and were assessed by nine tasters. Harmony, complexity and persistence were among the judging criteria.

Single-variety oils: taste the difference

A single-variety olive oil is made from just one olive variety. Its flavour also depends on the ripeness of the fruit, production and storage.

Galega: mild and delicate

The Galega Single-Variety Olive Oil, 500 ml has a mild profile, with a slight peppery note and subtle bitterness. Try it in a salad when you want a delicate dressing.

Cordovil: intense fruitiness

The Cordovil Single-Variety Olive Oil, 500 ml has intense fruitiness, with bitterness and pepperiness. We recommend it as a finishing touch for roasts and grilled dishes, or enjoyed with bread.

Cobrançosa and Maçanilha

The Cobrançosa Single-Variety Olive Oil, 500 ml is balanced, with bitterness and pepperiness that vary with the ripeness of the olives. The Maçanilha Single-Variety Olive Oil, 500 ml is mild and fresh, with green fruit notes, ideal for salads and fresh dressings.

Figueirinha and Azête

Figueirinha Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a fresh aroma, intense fruitiness and a slightly peppery touch. It is suitable both for seasoning dishes uncooked and for cooking, and is available in several sizes.

The Azête Figueirinha Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 500 ml stands out for its green fruitiness and herbal notes, with bitterness and a slight peppery finish. Try a drizzle over soup or salad.

Bottle or large container?

A 500 ml bottle lets you try an olive oil without buying a large quantity. As a gift, Cartuxa Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 500 ml, in a tube is a good option. If you enjoy trying different flavours, choose two single-variety oils.

If you use olive oil every day, consider the EA Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3 L or the Figueirinha Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3 L. In 5 L, you’ll find Figueirinha Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Álamos Virgin Olive Oil. The best size is the one that suits your household’s consumption.

Polyphenols and health

Polyphenols are compounds found in olives and olive oil that have been studied for their antioxidant activity, including their effects on lipid oxidation. The content varies depending on the olive variety and ripeness. To find out how much is present in an olive oil, it needs to be tested: the acidity and the variety name do not provide this information.

Olive oil provides monounsaturated fats. Replacing sources of saturated fat with sources of unsaturated fat, such as olive oil, is part of recommendations for a diet that supports cardiovascular health. The benefit comes from the substitution, as part of a balanced diet, not from adding more fat.

Expiry and storage

When stored properly, olive oil can keep for quite a long time. Keep it tightly closed in a cool, dry place, away from light and heat from the stove. Light, heat and exposure to air promote oxidation; olive oil does not improve with age.

Check the expiry date on the label and follow the producer’s instructions. If using an oil cruet, keep it closed and protected from light too.

At the table

Bread, a drizzle of EA Extra Virgin and a glass of Cartuxa Branco 2024: a suggestion for starting the meal. To complete the table or prepare a gift, see our guides to aged or buttery cheese and wine to give as a gift.

Sources

Choosing and storage: DECO PROteste and Casa do Azeite. Characteristics and sizes: product pages in the Herdade do Estacal shop.

Origin and certification: European Commission — PDO and PGI and organic production; DGADR — olive oils and olives; Turismo de Portugal — olive tourism. Awards: International Olive Council — Mario Solinas 2025, Northern Hemisphere.

Nutrition and polyphenols: American Heart Association; International Olive Council — olive ripening; EFSA — polyphenols.