Frequently Asked Questions

Here you'll find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about Extra Virgin Olive Oil. If you have a question that isn't covered here, reach out via chat — we're always happy to help!

Frequently asked questions about shopping online at Mi Oliva Gourmet

Where is Mi Oliva Gourmet from?

Mi Oliva Gourmet's EVOO comes from Olivar de San Miguel, located in Puente Genil, Córdoba — considered one of the finest olive estates in the world. In 1935, it received the award for the best olive oil in the world (OPTIMUN OLEI EMPORIUM). Our oils are bottled daily and never blended, so you receive them in perfect condition.

Click here to learn what makes us different.

What is the Mi Oliva Gourmet Club?

The Mi Oliva Gourmet Club is a community of people who love authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — oil made by a real grower, with a name and a story behind it.

Joining the Club keeps you in the loop on all our promotions and news. All you need is your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time if you no longer wish to receive updates.

Tap here and join the Club!

Why create an account at Mi Oliva Gourmet?

A Mi Oliva Gourmet account lets you save your details so your shopping experience is faster and more convenient. Simply register as a customer — from that point on, whenever you place an order, all your information will be filled in automatically. You can also save your card details for future purchases and view the full history of your orders. If you don't have an account yet,

Tap here and create your account

Is there a minimum order?

There is no minimum order. You can buy olive oil in any of the formats available on our website, regardless of price. To see each format and its price, simply select the product — a window will open with the full product description, and just below it you'll find a dropdown menu listing all available formats along with their individual prices.

Are there special prices for shops or distributors?

We sell direct from the grower to the end customer. That said, we do make exceptions in certain cases, provided the values and philosophy of a small business or specialist shop align with ours. In those situations, while we don't have a fixed wholesale price list, we can apply a volume discount — simply get in touch by message or phone and we'll look into it together.

How can I get a discount code?

We don't run discounts as a rule — unfortunately, margins in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil sector are very tight. However, discount codes are available exclusively to members of the Mi Oliva Gourmet Club.

How can I pay for my order?

Credit or debit card

Select this option and enter your card details. There's no need to worry — this is a secure payment platform and your card details will not be stored.

If the payment fails after you've entered your card details, check that the billing address you've provided matches the address linked to your card. If your billing address differs from your delivery address, don't worry — your order will be sent to the delivery address, not the billing one.

Bank transfer

Once you complete your purchase, you'll receive our bank account details by email so you can transfer the exact order amount. Please include your name and order number in the transfer reference so we can identify your payment. We'll dispatch your order as soon as we receive the transfer.

PayPal

When you select this option, you'll be automatically redirected to the PayPal platform to log in and complete your payment. If an error occurs on the PayPal platform and the payment doesn't go through, the system will automatically cancel the order. Once payment is confirmed, the order will reappear correctly and be ready to dispatch.

Cash on delivery

Available for deliveries to mainland Spain only. Payment must be made in the exact amount, in cash, upon delivery — card payments are not accepted at the door.

Please remember to select your preferred payment method before completing your order — without doing so, no payment will be processed and the order will not go through.

What should I do if my order fails?

It's possible for an order not to go through successfully at checkout.

If you're paying by credit or debit card, the failure may be triggered by the payment gateway detecting a detail that doesn't match your card information. In this case, make sure you enter the address linked to your card in the billing address field, and specify your preferred delivery address separately if it's different. You may notice a pending charge on your card — if the order didn't complete successfully, it means we haven't received the payment, and the charge will disappear within a few hours or by the following day.

If you're paying via PayPal and the payment doesn't go through, the system will cancel the order automatically. Once the payment is confirmed on the PayPal platform, the order will reappear as valid and ready to dispatch.

How do I know if my order has been placed successfully?

You should receive a confirmation email with all your order details. If you don't receive a confirmation, the order has not been placed.

Where do you deliver and what are the shipping costs?

All orders are delivered to your door, throughout mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands, and most of Europe.

Domestic shipping. Delivery to mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands is free of charge. (We do not currently ship to the Canary Islands, Ceuta or Melilla.)

Shipping to Europe. We deliver to most European countries, with shipping costs calculated based on the weight of the package and the destination.

How can I track my order?

Once your order has left our facility, you'll receive an email or SMS from the courier with a tracking number, so you can follow your shipment's progress at any time.

Frequently asked questions about Olive Oil

What is the difference between filtered and unfiltered oil?

The difference lies in the decanting process: unfiltered EVOO undergoes just a few hours of decantation, whereas filtered EVOO is decanted over several days. Unfiltered oil is best enjoyed raw, as its flavour carries additional nuances from fine particles of leaf and pit. Studies have shown it offers some extra beneficial properties compared to filtered oil. Unfiltered EVOO can also be used for cooking, though it isn't suitable for deep-frying — the suspended particles will burn quickly and cause the oil to darken sooner. To read about all the differences between unfiltered and filtered olive oil, click here

What are the polyphenols in Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

As set out in the European Regulation on authorised health claims for food, the main recognised benefit of olive oil polyphenols is their contribution to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress.

Polyphenols are among the most powerful antioxidants found in nature — far more effective than any antioxidant produced in a laboratory.

To learn more about the benefits of polyphenols in Olive Oil, click here.

To learn more about the benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, click here.

How long can an open bottle of oil keep?

The best-before period for EVOO depends on whether it is filtered or unfiltered.

For filtered oil, it is generally two years from the date of bottling.

For unfiltered oil, this reduces to one year — because without filtration, the suspended particles gradually settle to the bottom of the bottle, forming sediment that could eventually ferment, especially when exposed to light and oxygen.

These are "best before" periods, meaning that under normal conditions the EVOO will still be perfectly fine past that point — it simply may begin to decline from then on. This is why it carries no expiry date.

Once a bottle is opened, we recommend using it within 2 to 3 weeks. If you have a large format (5 litres), it's a good idea to transfer some into a smaller, opaque container — such as a stainless steel olive oil dispenser.

In the meantime, keep the open bottle in a cool spot away from direct light.

Which variety do you recommend for eating raw?

Any variety of good-quality EVOO is a pleasure eaten raw — on toast, in salads, drizzled directly over other ingredients to bring out their flavour, and more.

Spain is extraordinarily rich in olive varieties, with over 50 to choose from, so it really comes down to personal taste.

Picual tends to have the boldest, most robust and peppery flavour.

Hojiblanca and Picuda typically strike an almost perfect balance between pepperiness and bitterness.

Arbequina is the smoothest in terms of heat, though no less full of character, flavour and complexity.

Which oil has the most intense flavour?

Defining "intense" is tricky — intense in what way? In complexity, in aroma, in pepperiness, in bitterness?

All high-quality EVOOs, like the ones you'll find at Mi Oliva Gourmet, are intense across all their organoleptic qualities.

That's why "intense" shouldn't be confused with any single characteristic, such as heat or bitterness.

If what you're looking for is a bold, peppery and bitter EVOO, then Estirpe PICUAL would be the perfect choice.

Which oil do you recommend for frying? How many times can the oil be reused?

The first thing to know is that the better the EVOO, the better it performs for frying — a higher quality oil retains more of its beneficial properties at high temperatures. This runs counter to the common misconception that a good EVOO isn't suited to frying; in fact, the opposite is true. Lower quality oils lose their properties quickly.

This is precisely why top restaurants use excellent EVOOs for frying, while other quality establishments opt for oils with a high oleic acid content.

Any of our EVOOs can be used for pan-frying, since temperatures in a pan don't typically reach the same levels as in a deep fryer.

For deep-frying, we recommend one of our filtered EVOOs: Estirpe Traditional Harvest

What is the best time of year to buy Olive Oil?

At Mi Oliva Gourmet you'll always find freshly bottled EVOO, direct from our Olive Oil Mill. We don't stockpile inventory the way large retailers and distributors do.

This means you can enjoy the finest EVOO all year round.

That said, freshly pressed EVOO does have an extra dimension — a vibrancy and complexity reminiscent of freshly squeezed juice.

Depending on the variety, these freshly made oils are released gradually throughout the season.

The first to arrive, between October and November, is the Early Harvest Oil — a true "liquid gold" prized for its low yield and exceptional quality.

Arbequina and Picual typically follow between November and early December.

And finally, Hojiblanca arrives in mid-December.

This is how Mi Oliva Gourmet oils are made — harvested at the precise moment of optimal ripeness.

Lower quality EVOOs tend to be harvested later, prioritising higher yield at the expense of the oil's finest organoleptic properties.

What makes our oils different from the rest?

First and foremost, they are genuine EVOOs, grown and tended with a real love for the land and the product. These are a grower's oils — with a name and a story — never blended with oils from any other origin.

Second, they are freshly bottled EVOOs, preserved in ideal conditions at our Olive Oil Mill until the moment they're packaged.

And third, they are all of extraordinary quality — with an acidity level below 0.2 (compared to the 0.8 maximum permitted by regulations) and low yields, which translate into a high polyphenol content.

And above all, there are their organoleptic qualities — rich in nuance, aroma, flavour and extraordinary sensation. Oils that bring back the kind of pleasure our grandparents knew, from a product that is both authentic and genuinely delicious.

Why does Andalusian olive oil have a stronger flavour than oils from other parts of Spain?

The olive grove is the defining feature of the Andalusian landscape.

Nearly one and a half million hectares are home to the roots of this tree, which has shaped the region and made it, for thousands of years, the world's foremost olive-growing land.

These ancient groves — many of them centuries old — stand as true witnesses to our history and to Andalusian gastronomy.

Andalusia is the world's largest olive oil-producing region and the birthplace of the Mediterranean diet, with Extra Virgin Olive Oil as its cornerstone — a diet now recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Where can I buy good-value Olive Oil?

You've probably tried buying good-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil at a supermarket or large retailer, only to find it hard to know whether what you're getting is genuinely good.

It can also be difficult to tell a quality oil from a mediocre one just by looking at the label.

If you'd like to read more on the subject, we share everything you need to know here: Where to buy good-value Olive Oil.

How is Extra Virgin Olive Oil classified?

EVOO is officially classified as "Extra Virgin" based on two main criteria:

1. It is obtained exclusively through mechanical processes.

2. The olives must be of the highest quality, which in turn depends on acidity. To qualify as Extra Virgin, the maximum acidity level is 0.8.

3. It must meet minimum organoleptic standards.

To find out more about what sets Extra Virgin Olive Oil apart from the rest, click here.

Olive Oil "Liquid Gold" or Early Harvest

An Early Harvest oil is unique in its colour, flavour and — above all — its qualities.

It is an Extra Virgin Olive Oil, typically unfiltered: it undergoes only a brief decantation process, which preserves fine particles of olive pulp and leaf in suspension, enriching the flavour.

Its taste is bold and peppery, as you'd expect from olives harvested at an early stage of ripening.

It is also known as "liquid gold" — its colour is a deeper, more vivid green than EVOO harvested later in the season, which tends to take on a more golden or yellow hue.

To discover our Olive Oil "Liquid Gold", tap here.

Gourmet Extra Virgin Olive Oil

A gourmet olive oil has many characteristics that set it well apart from the rest, but here we'll focus on the 3 key differences between a gourmet oil and other Extra Virgin Olive Oils.

1. The moment of harvest — picked at the optimal point of ripeness, prioritising quality over yield.

2. The selection of the olives — even within the same grove, choosing those with the finest flavour and properties.

3. The milling, bottling and storage — which is arguably even more important than everything above when the EVOO isn't purchased freshly made.

For more information on the differences of gourmet EVOO, click here.