About this oil
Sensory profile
| Descriptor | Intensity (1-10) |
|---|---|
| Frutado verde | 5.5 |
| Amargo | 3.5 |
| Picante | 4 |
| Verde hierba | 4.5 |
| Manzana amarilla | 4 |
| Dulce | 4 |
| Almendra hecha | 3.5 |
| Plátano fruto | 4.5 |
| Tomate fruto | 4.5 |
| Frutos secos | 4 |
| Papilla de frutas | 3.5 |
Sensory star crafted by Mercedes Uceda. With every order from Molino & Cata you receive a printed copy of this tasting sheet.
© Molino & Cata. Commercial use not authorised.
Tasting notes
An extra virgin olive oil with a delicate aroma of freshly cut grass, sweet apple, and banana. Then notes of green tomato and almond appear. On the palate it enters sweetly, leaving an aftertaste of fruit puree and almond. Balanced and complex.
Pairing
Perfect for mild salads with fresh fruits, creamy cheeses like burrata or mozzarella, delicate carpaccios, steamed white fish, and desserts combining fruit with chocolate, adding a sweet and delicate touch.
This Arbequina comes from the Tabernas desert, not from Catalonia or the Ebro Valley. The water stress gives it an aromatic complexity that conventional Arbequinas lack: that freshly cut grass, the sweet apple, the banana, and then the notes of green tomato and almond that appear afterwards. On the palate it is sweet and balanced, but with a depth that reveals its extreme origin.
Know every detail

The Oro del Desierto Arbequina does not come from Catalonia or the Ebro Valley, where most people place the variety. It comes from the Tabernas desert, Almeria, where the Alonso family has been producing oil for three generations on the El Vicario estate. Less than 180 mm of annual rainfall and more than 3,000 hours of sunshine: the water stress concentrates aromas that a conventional Arbequina simply does not have.
Organic production certified since 1999. 130 hectares, 36,000 olive trees, no herbicides, no pesticides, no synthetic fertilisers. The harvest is early and milling takes place on the same day. EU certification issued by CAAE, with annual audits.
Oro del Desierto has accumulated more than 250 international awards, including consecutive Gold at the NYIOOC in New York and 99/100 in Flos Olei. The Arbequina is part of a range that includes Picual, Hojiblanca, Lechin, and Coupage, all grown on the same extreme terroir. It was recognised as part of the most sustainable olive grove in Spain in 2023.
It is the Arbequina we offer to anyone who tells us 'I don't like olive oil.' So far, no one has left the oleoteca without buying at least one bottle. Sweet, accessible, with a degree of complexity that conventional Arbequinas do not achieve.

Experiences
Book a guided tasting with Mercedes Uceda at our oleoteca in Granada and discover the sensory attributes of extra virgin olive oil: fruity, bitter and spicy.
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Production
From olive to liquid gold. Harvesting, milling and extraction.
14,50 €EUR
· martes, 14 de abrilProduct information
Processing
Producer · Food operator
Oro del Desierto
Almería
Per 100 ml
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 3389 kJ / 824 kcal |
| Fat | 91.6 g |
| of which saturates | 14.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g |
| of which sugars | 0 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
| Salt | 0 g |
Average EVOO values. Check the label for exact values.
Lot data currently in our warehouse.
This information is mandatory under EU Regulation 1169/2011 on food information to consumers.
Extra virgin olive oil is a fresh product. Its quality depends on proper storage and consuming it within its optimal date. If an online shop does not tell you which lot it will ship or when it expires, you have no way of knowing if what you receive is from this harvest or two years ago.
Be wary of shops that do not publish this information. We show it because we believe you have the right to know exactly what you are buying.
No. Comparten variedad, pero el terroir lo cambia todo. La Arbequina convencional (Cataluña, Valle del Ebro) suele ser suave y unidimensional. La del desierto de Tabernas, con menos de 180 mm de lluvia y más de 3.000 horas de sol, concentra aromas que la versión estándar no tiene: tomate verde, almendra, una complejidad que sorprende.
Es el mejor. Si nunca has probado un virgen extra de calidad, la Arbequina es la puerta de entrada perfecta: dulce, suave, sin amargor agresivo. Y si ya conoces el mundo del AOVE, te sorprenderá por lo que esta versión del desierto añade al perfil habitual.
Para todo lo que necesite suavidad: pescado blanco, verduras al vapor, ensaladas frescas, mayonesas, repostería. También funciona como aceite infantil — los niños aceptan su dulzor sin problema.
La Arbequina tiene menos polifenoles que el Picual, así que su vida útil es algo menor. En condiciones óptimas (oscuridad, 15-20 °C), 6-9 meses cerrada. Una vez abierta, consúmela en 3-4 semanas.
Sí. Certificación UE expedida por CAAE. Producción ecológica desde 1999. Los mismos estándares que el resto de la gama de Oro del Desierto: sin pesticidas, sin herbicidas, sin fertilizantes sintéticos.
Puedes, pero no es lo ideal. La Arbequina tiene menor estabilidad oxidativa que el Picual o la Hojiblanca, así que se degrada antes a altas temperaturas. Para freír, usa un Picual convencional. Esta Arbequina ecológica del desierto merece usarse en crudo.
Oro del Desierto
·Harvest 2025/202614,50 €EUR
€29.00/L15,53 €EUR
Order today, arrives on martes, 14 de abril
Tabernas, Almería