THE LEGEND OF ARBEQUINA

At the end of the last century, a completely forgotten olive tree, producing very small, round and colourful olives, was found near a small village of Arbeca (formerly Arbequa) in Spanish Catalonia. Botanists named it “Arbequino”, in reference to the village where it was found and gave the female name “Arbequina” to the olive variety.

A little history

In the 17th century, the Duke of Medinacelli – who owned a vast area of the Iberian Peninsula including Arbequa (now Arbeca) – went to Jerusalem where he discovered an olive oil with an extraordinary taste. He purchased some of these olive trees and had them planted in Spain. Arbequino olive trees grew and remained in the area for several centuries. However, by the beginning of the mid-19th century, the olive estates were gradually abandoned because the demand for olive oil had declined due to the invention of electricity (no more oil lamps). The Arbequina olives, for their part, were supplanted by more profitable varieties such as Picual. Arbequina almost disappeared… until recently when upcoming olive estates began new cultivation. The small, round, colourful olives have made a comeback with a new generation of food lovers eager to enjoy an olive oil with a fabulous taste (Thanks to the Duke!)