Frequently Asked Questions

Here you'll find answers to some of the most common questions about Extra Virgin Olive Oil. If you have a question that isn't covered here, reach out via chat and we'll be 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 the Olivar de San Miguel estate, located in Puente Genil, Córdoba — considered one of the finest in the world. In 1935 it was awarded the prize for the world's best olive oil (OPTIMUN OLEI EMPORIUM). Our oils are bottled daily and never blended, so every order reaches you in perfect condition.

Click here to see what makes us different.

What is the Mi Oliva Gourmet Club?

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

Joining the Club gives you access to all our promotions and keeps you up to date with everything happening at Mi Oliva Gourmet. All you need to do is share your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time if you no longer wish to hear from us.

Tap here and join the Club!

Why create an account at Mi Oliva Gourmet?

A Mi Oliva Gourmet account lets you save your details on the site so your shopping experience is faster and more convenient. Simply register as a customer — from then on, all you need to do is choose your product and your details will be filled in automatically. You can also save your card details for future purchases and view all orders placed since you registered. If you don't have an account yet,

Tap here to 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 the site, regardless of price. To see the available formats and their prices, select the product — a window will open with the full product description, and just below you'll find a dropdown menu listing all available size options 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 ethos of a small business or specialist shop are aligned with ours. In those cases, while we don't have set trade rates, we can offer volume-based discounts. Simply get in touch by message or phone and we'll take a look.

How can I get a discount code?

We don't run frequent discounts, as — unfortunately — margins in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil sector are very tight. To access discount codes, you need to be a member 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 as prompted. There's no need to worry — our payment platform is fully secure and your card details will not be stored.

If your card payment fails after entering your details, check that the billing address you've entered matches the address registered to your card. If your billing address is different from your delivery address, don't worry — your order will be sent to the delivery address, not the billing address.

Bank transfer

Once you complete your purchase, we'll send 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

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

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 proceeding — without selecting it, the payment cannot be processed and your order will not be placed.

What should I do if my order fails?

It's possible that your order may not go through successfully at checkout.

If you're paying by credit or debit card, the payment gateway may flag a mismatch in your details. In this case, make sure the billing address you enter matches the address registered to your card, and use the delivery address field to specify where you'd like the order sent, if it differs from your billing address. A charge may appear on your card, but if the order hasn't been completed successfully it means we haven't received the payment — 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 automatically cancel the order. Once the payment is successfully completed on the PayPal platform, the order will reappear as valid and be 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 this 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 ship to the Canary Islands, Ceuta, or Melilla.)

European shipping. We ship to most European countries. Shipping costs vary depending on the weight of the package and the destination.

How can I track the delivery of my order?

Once your order has left our carrier, you'll receive an email or SMS from them with a tracking number, so you can follow the status of your delivery 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 natural settling, while filtered EVOO goes through a process lasting several days. Unfiltered oil is best enjoyed raw, as its flavour carries additional nuances from particles of olive skin and stone. Studies have shown it retains some extra beneficial properties compared to filtered oil. Unfiltered EVOO can also be used for cooking, but it's not ideal for deep frying — those suspended particles will burn quickly and cause the oil to darken sooner. If you'd like to know more about the differences between unfiltered and filtered Olive Oil, click here

What are polyphenols in Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

As set out in the European Regulation on authorised health claims for foods, the key benefit of olive oil polyphenols is that they help protect blood lipids from oxidative damage.

Polyphenols are among the most powerful antioxidants found in nature, with a significantly greater effect than any antioxidant produced in a laboratory.

If you'd like to find out more about the benefits of polyphenols in Olive Oil, click here.

If you'd like to find out more about the benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, click here.

How long can an opened bottle of oil be kept?

The recommended shelf life of EVOO depends on whether it is filtered or unfiltered.

For filtered oil, the best-before period is typically two years from bottling.

For unfiltered oil, this is reduced to one year. Because the oil hasn't been filtered, the suspended particles settle over time, forming sediment at the bottom of the bottle that could eventually ferment with exposure to light and oxygen.

These are "best before" periods — in other words, the oil will normally still be in perfect condition at that point, but may begin to deteriorate gradually after that date. This is why EVOO carries no expiry date as such.

Once a bottle is open, we recommend finishing it within 2 to 3 weeks. For larger formats (5 litres), it's a good idea to decant part of the oil into a smaller, opaque container (a classic stainless steel oil dispenser works perfectly).

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

Which variety would you recommend for eating raw?

Any variety of a good EVOO is a pleasure to enjoy raw — on toast, in salads, drizzled directly to bring out the flavour of other ingredients, and more.

Spain is remarkably rich in olive varieties, with over 50 to choose from, so the right one really comes down to your personal taste.

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

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

Arbequina is the gentlest of the three in terms of heat, yet it's still full of flavour and character.

Which oil has the most intense flavour?

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

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

So it's worth not confusing "intense" with just one of those qualities, such as heat or bitterness.

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

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

The first thing to know is that the better the EVOO, the better it performs for frying — higher-quality oil loses fewer beneficial properties at high temperatures. This goes against the common misconception that a good EVOO shouldn't be used for frying, when in fact the opposite is true. Lower-quality oils lose their properties much more quickly.

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

Any of our EVOOs can be used for pan frying, as the temperatures involved are generally not as high as those reached 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, straight from our Almazara cellars. We don't stockpile inventory the way supermarkets and large 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 of flavour and aroma reminiscent of freshly squeezed juice.

Each variety is released gradually as the season progresses.

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's EVOOs are made — harvested at the optimal point of ripeness.

Lower-quality EVOOs tend to be harvested later, prioritising a higher yield from the olive at the expense of its beneficial organoleptic properties.

What sets our oils apart from the rest?

First and foremost, they are genuine EVOOs — grown and tended with a deep love for the land and the product. These are oils from real growers with real names, never blended with oils from other sources.

Second, they are freshly bottled EVOOs, kept in optimal condition in our Almazara cellars until the moment of bottling.

And third, they are all of exceptional quality — with an acidity level below 0.2 (well under the 0.8 required by regulation) and low yields, which translate into a high polyphenol content.

All of this is topped off by what matters most: their organoleptic qualities. Rich in nuance, aroma, flavour and remarkable sensations, these oils let you savour something truly authentic — just as our grandparents once did.

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 the world's foremost olive-growing land for thousands of years.

Many of these groves, centuries old, stand as living witnesses to our history and our Andalusian culinary heritage.

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 an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Where can I buy good-value Olive Oil?

You've probably tried buying Extra Virgin Olive Oil at a supermarket or large retailer, hoping to find something genuinely good at a fair price.

It can also be difficult to know how to tell whether an oil is truly high quality or not.

If you'd like to read more on the subject, we've put together a practical guide: 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 superior quality, which is determined in turn by their acidity level. To qualify as Extra Virgin, the maximum acidity is 0.8.

3. It must meet a minimum standard of organoleptic quality.

If you'd like to know more about what sets Extra Virgin Olive Oil apart from other types, click here.

Early Harvest Olive Oil — "Liquid Gold"

An Early Harvest oil is one of a kind — distinctive in colour, flavour and, above all, in its qualities.

It is an Extra Virgin Olive Oil, typically unfiltered: it undergoes only a brief settling process, which preserves particles from the olive pulp and leaves in suspension, adding depth and richness to its flavour.

Its taste is bold and spicy, characteristic of olives harvested at an early stage of ripeness.

It is also known as "liquid gold" for its distinctly green hue — in contrast to oils harvested later in the season, which tend towards a more yellow or golden tone.

If you'd like to discover our Early Harvest "Liquid Gold" Olive Oil, tap here.

Gourmet Extra Virgin Olive Oil

A Gourmet oil has many characteristics that set it well above the rest — but here we'll focus on the 3 key differences between a Gourmet Olive Oil and a standard Extra Virgin.

1. The harvest timing — picked at the optimal point of ripeness, where quality takes precedence over yield.

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

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

If you'd like more information about the differences that define a Gourmet EVOO, click here.