What does Picual olive oil taste like?

Green tomato and fig leaf, firm bitterness and a peppery finish, with more body than most delicate cultivars.

Is Picual good for cooking?

Yes. Its high oleic acid and phenolic content make it one of the more heat-stable extra virgin olive oils.

Cultivar profile

Picual Olive Oil

Picual is the world's most planted olive cultivar, concentrated in Jaén and the rest of Andalusia. Its oil is instantly recognizable: green tomato and fig leaf on the nose, a firm bitter middle, and a long peppery finish. Picual carries high oleic acid and high phenolic content, which makes it the most oxidatively stable common cultivar — it keeps well in the bottle and holds up better than most oils when heated. If you want one oil that can dress a salad on Monday and roast potatoes on Tuesday, Picual is the pragmatic answer.

Bottles in this selection

Organic

Nobleza del Sur

Nobleza del Sur Organic Day w/ Gift Box

Andalusia · 16.9 fl oz (500 ml) glass bottle with gift box

$25.97$39.9535% off5.0

Gift

OlivePrestige Atelier

Atelier Gift Box — Quattro

Four estates, four countries · 4 × 250 ml

$112.00$224.0050% off5.0

PDO Estepa

Oleoestepa

Oleoestepa Estepa Virgen Limited Edition with Gift Box, 16.9 fl oz

Estepa PDO, Andalusia · 16.9 fl oz (500 ml) glass bottle with gift box

$22.07$33.9535% off4.9

PDO Estepa

Oleoestepa

Oleoestepa Egregio Organic w/ Box

Estepa PDO, Andalusia · 16.9 fl oz (500 ml) glass bottle with gift box

$22.07$33.9535% off4.9

Organic

Oro del Desierto

Oro del Desierto Organic Deluxe Gift Set

Tabernas, Almería, Andalusia · 5 × 100 ml (3.38 fl oz) glass bottles in gift box

$45.47$69.9535% off4.9

Magnum

Palacio de los Olivos

Palacio de los Olivos Picual Magnum 1.5 L w/ Box

Castilla-La Mancha · 1.5 L (50.72 fl oz) magnum bottle with gift box

$58.47$89.9535% off4.9

Cooking oil

Graza

Graza Sizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Box O' Sizzle — Cooking Oil

Andalusia · 1.5 L (51 fl oz) box

$17.55$27.0035% off4.8

Variety pack

Graza

Graza Extra Virgin Olive Oil Variety Pack — Sizzle & Drizzle

Andalusia · 2 x 500 mL (16.9 fl oz) squeeze bottles

$26.97$41.4935% off4.8

Squeeze bottle

Graza

Graza Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 500 mL (Pack of 6)

Andalusia · 6 x 500 mL (16.9 fl oz) squeeze bottles

$43.07$66.2635% off4.8

Cooking spray

Graza

Graza Sizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil Spray — Cooking Oil

Andalusia · 2 x 5 fl oz spray bottles

$8.45$13.0035% off4.7

Organic

Spectrum

Spectrum Organic Mediterranean Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 33.8 oz (Pack of 6)

Mediterranean blend · 6 x 33.8 fl oz (1 L) bottles

$90.00$180.0050% off4.7

Premium selection

Colavita

Colavita Premium Selection Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 17 fl oz

Mediterranean Blend · 17 fl oz (500 ml) glass bottle

$11.04$16.9935% off4.7

Tasting Picual

Early-harvest Picual is grassy and aggressive; later picking softens it toward ripe fruit and almond. Poorly made Picual can taste woody or flat, which is a processing failure rather than a cultivar trait.

Frequently asked questions

What does Picual olive oil taste like?: Green tomato and fig leaf, firm bitterness and a peppery finish, with more body than most delicate cultivars.
Is Picual good for cooking?: Yes. Its high oleic acid and phenolic content make it one of the more heat-stable extra virgin olive oils.

Read before you buy

All olive oil guides

Related selections

Spanish Extra Virgin Olive Oil High-Polyphenol Olive Oil Best Olive Oil for Cooking Arbequina Olive Oil

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