Varietals used: Frantoio, Luccino, Pendolino, Maurino, and Taggiasca olives. These olives lend themselves to a smooth but flavorful oil.
Orchard-blended means that the different tree varietals are planted randomly, so that during harvest, the bending is done as we pick. Most oil is blended from monocultivars (single varietals) and then blended by humans.
(Not so) fun-fact: most flavored olive oils are created by adding FLAVOR POWDER (think powdered drink mix) to a large vat and mixing it with a giant mixer that resembles a boat motor..... It's processed!
Flavored oil can be categorized as fused or infused. Fused means the olives were crushed with the lemons, garlic, or other organic ingredients. This can be achieved by machine crushing. You can also infuse oil by placing the plant directly into the oil and aging it for several weeks. Since we utilize a stone mill, we cannot fuse the organic flavoring, as it would be absorbed into the granite and flavor subsequent batches. We add whole cloves of garlic and fuse it to the oil for 3 weeks, using local, organic garlic with the most intense flavor I have ever experienced! If you purchase the Garlic Olive Oil, let's just say I hope you're a big garlic fan... It's FANTASTIC to use to saute or marinate meat, fish, or vegetables...
We are the opposite of a large, commercial grow and feel that our attention to detail produces a rich, layered taste that is unique.