Millenary olive oil is something truly special. It is made from the golden olives of Spain, and grown on trees that have survived frosts, transplantation and witnessed Spain’s history for over 1,000 years. Today, these ancient trees produce some of the richest, most beautiful olive oil in the world.
The Story of the Trees
Planted by the Romans over 2,000 years old, the olive groves were among the first to be planted in rows and equally spaced. To qualify as an official millenary tree, it must stand at least 1.3 meters tall and at least 3.5 meters in circumference. These unique olives are picked by hand, not shaken down by a large machines as is common in other commercial groves. Once picked, the olives are then transported to the local mill to create the famous extra virgin millenary olive oil.
Most of the millenary groves are in Spain, concentrated in an area called the Sea of Olives that stretches across Valencia, Catalonia and Aragon. The municipality of La Jana is home the highest concentration of millenary trees, totaling 966 trees.
Millenary Olive Oil
While the oil produced from these trees proves popular, the groves themselves have become destinations for people seeking a glimpse of these rare, gnarled trees. Tourists can get an olive oil-themed visit in La Jana which includes a visit to the trees and a taste fresh oil straight from the mill. Here, visitors can sample millenary olive oil, which is renowned for it’s sweetness.
The farmers who harvest these olives take great pride in producing their oils. However, millenary olive oil is only a small percentage of the total olive oil market and is even used in special cosmetics thanks to its unique balance and texture.
The Magic of the Millenaries
The beauty of the millenary groves has inspired more than just oil – their reach goes as far as beautiful works of art. Salvador Dali painted gorgeous landscapes featuring olive groves while in the south of Spain. Icíar Bollaín’s film “El Olivo” features the ancient trees, and tells the story of one woman’s journey to find one and preserve her grandfather’s legacy by rescuing a lost olive tree.
Curious enough to try some now? We’ve included some links here below to some great producers.
Try this olive oil from one of the oldest olive groves in Spain