About this oil
It has been recognised with 2 international awards, with a score of 91/100 in the guide Evooleum and 90/100 in the guide Iberoleum.
Sensory profile
| Descriptor | Intensity (1-10) |
|---|---|
| Frutado Verde | 7.5 |
| Amargo | 4.5 |
| Picante | 4.5 |
| Verde Hoja | 6 |
| Manzana Verde | 5.5 |
| Dulce | 2.5 |
| Astringencia | 3.5 |
| Almendra verde | 4.5 |
| Higuera | 5 |
| Plátano Cáscara | 5.5 |
| Tomatera | 5 |
| Nuez verde | 5 |
| Pimienta negra | 4 |
| Hierbas aromáticas | 4.5 |
| Rúcula | 4.5 |
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
On the nose, an intense aroma of olive leaf with hints of green apple, green almond and banana peel, finishing with a touch of black pepper. On the palate, it enters with a slight sweetness that quickly gives way to medium bitterness and pungency. The flavours recall rocket and green walnut.
Pairing
An extra virgin olive oil ideal for pairing with intensely flavoured dishes, potato- or pasta-based salads, and for adding an exciting twist to desserts featuring dark chocolate.
The Picual from the desert is unlike any other Picual I know. The lack of water concentrates the aromas in a remarkable way: the olive leaf, the green apple, that black pepper at the finish that leaves your mouth alive. The Alonso family has been producing for three generations under conditions many would consider impossible, and the result is an oil that teaches us that when the olive tree struggles, it rises to the occasion.
Know every detail

Behind Oro del Desierto is the Alonso family, three generations producing olive oil in the Tabernas desert, Almeria. Their estate, El Vicario, spans 130 hectares with 36,000 olive trees in the most arid climate in Europe: less than 180 mm of rainfall per year and over 3,000 hours of sunshine. Conditions that force the olive tree to concentrate everything it has into the fruit.
The estate has held organic certification since its founding in 1999. No herbicides, no pesticides, no shortcuts. The Picual from the desert is nothing like the Picual from Jaen: same DNA, entirely different result. The extreme water stress produces fewer olives but far more concentrated ones. Early harvest, milled the same day.
Gold at NYIOOC 2023, 2024 and 2025 -- three consecutive years at the world's largest olive oil competition. Oro del Desierto has accumulated over 250 international awards and was recognised as Spain's most sustainable olive grove in 2023. The Flos Olei guide awarded it 99/100.
This is the Picual we place alongside other Picuals in our tastings to prove that terroir changes everything. Same DNA, completely different result. Three consecutive Golds in New York don't lie. When a customer wants to understand what terroir means in olive oil, we reach for this one.

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.
Book a tasting →Training
Courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Master the sensory vocabulary.
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. Same DNA, different result. The Tabernas desert gets less than 180 mm of rain a year — the olive tree produces fewer olives but more concentrated ones. The profile is more intense on the nose and has a more defined pungency than a standard Jaén Picual.
Because it has a high concentration of polyphenols, particularly oleocanthal (responsible for pungency) and oleuropein (responsible for bitterness). These are natural antioxidants with proven anti-inflammatory effects. A Picual without bitterness or pungency would be a late-harvest Picual — a completely different product.
Yes. Picual has the highest oxidative stability of all olive varieties, making it the best oil for frying. It withstands high temperatures without degrading. But if you are paying for an organic, early-harvest Picual, using it for frying is a waste. Use it raw and fry with a lower-grade oil.
The NYIOOC (New York International Olive Oil Competition) is the largest and most prestigious olive oil competition in the world. Thousands of samples from over 30 countries. Oils are tasted blind by certified panels. A Gold means the oil exceeded the standards of excellence. Oro del Desierto Picual has won it three consecutive years (2023–2025).
Under optimal conditions (darkness, 15–20 °C), between 6 and 12 months. But ideally consume it within 4–6 weeks of opening to enjoy it at its best. Polyphenols degrade with exposure to air.
EU certification issued by CAAE. The El Vicario estate has operated without synthetic pesticides or herbicides since 1999. It is audited annually. The soil is cared for with cover crops, pruning waste is composted back in, and the water comes from a sustainably managed aquifer.
Oro del Desierto
·Harvest 2025/202614,50 €EUR
€29.00/L15,50 €EUR
Order today, arrives on martes, 14 de abril
Tabernas, Almería