Castillo de Canena Smoked Arbequino Olive Oil

$29.95

Many smoked olive oils we’ve tried have too strong of a bonfire-like flavor or come across as one note of smoke, with nothing that we love about olive oil—the fruitiness, butteriness and rounded taste—coming through at all due to using low-quality oil. This one is vastly different. It’s made from 100% Spanish Arbequina olives, known for their highly aromatic nature and fruity taste, that are pressed no later than four hours after picking and then cold-infused with smoke from oak and other organic woods to add a delicate smoky taste without sacrificing the oil’s complex flavor. We much prefer this to lesser smoked oils, which use liquid smoke or smoked flavor in lieu of natural wood. On the palate, you taste apple and almond, with deep, warming notes of caramel, vanilla and toffee. A surprisingly nuanced and never overpowering smoked flavor comes through at the finish. And it’s easy on the eyes, too, a rich green with glimmers of gold.