Affiorato Oryx Surface

A remarkable oil in an equally remarkable package

The Oryx Surface brings together two typically Italian worlds: centuries-old craftsmanship in the olive mill and a strong sense of design. Inside the exclusively designed ceramic jar is an extra virgin olive oil obtained using the traditional affioramento method.

That makes this far more than simply a beautiful package. The ceramic immediately attracts attention, but the way in which the oil is obtained is equally unusual.

Galantino presents this edition specifically as a gift and an eye-catching piece for the table: Italian design with genuine olive-oil tradition inside.

The name Affiorato comes from the Italian affiorare: to rise to the surface. During olive processing, a small portion of the oil separates naturally from the olive paste.

For the Oryx Surface, it is precisely this small amount of oil that is collected by hand. Galantino states that only around 2 to 3% of the oil is obtained in this way.

This is therefore the opposite of a process focused on maximum yield and efficiency. Affioramento is about collecting that small quantity of oil that separates naturally from the paste.

Galantino describes the Oryx Surface as delicately fruity and emphasises the harmony between aroma and flavour. The profile is refined and approachable, without pronounced bitterness or sharp pepperiness.

The oil has enough fruitiness to be clearly present while remaining smooth and balanced. This makes it particularly attractive to anyone looking for an elegant Italian extra virgin olive oil without the distinctly powerful character of, for example, a pure Coratina.

The emphasis is therefore not on power but on balance, smoothness and refinement.

The Oryx Surface and the Gran Cru Affiorato are both produced using the unusual affioramento technique and Galantino describes both as delicately fruity.

Nevertheless, Galantino presents them as two separate products. For the Gran Cru, the producer specifies a particular family estate, six olive varieties and annual production of 5,000 numbered bottles. Galantino does not provide those same specifications for the Oryx Surface. We therefore treat them as two different olive oils rather than exactly the same oil in different packaging.

Affiorato sounds almost mysterious, and many romantic stories surround this method of obtaining olive oil. It is even sometimes claimed that it must by definition be the very finest oil because it is the “first oil”.

It is not quite that simple. Affiorato primarily tells us something about the way part of the oil is collected. The final quality also depends on factors such as the olives themselves, harvest timing, speed of processing, temperature, oxygen exposure and craftsmanship.

In our Olijfolie Academie, we explain in detail how Affiorato and Sgocciolato work and separate tradition, technique and romantic stories from one another.

An elegant finishing touch

Thanks to its smooth and delicately fruity character, Oryx Surface is particularly attractive as a finishing oil. Think of salads, fish, burrata, grilled vegetables, light starters and good bread.

This is above all an oil to pour at the table and taste consciously. On simple dishes, the combination of subtle flavour, smooth texture and distinctive presentation comes through at its best.

Oryx Surface comes in an exclusively designed 500 ml ceramic jar. The packaging therefore becomes part of the product itself.

A distinctive gift for anyone who enjoys cooking and olive oil, but equally an object you will happily keep on your own table. It is precisely this combination of contents and presentation that sets this Galantino apart from an ordinary bottle of extra virgin olive oil.

Looking specifically for Galantino’s highly limited Affiorato made with olives from the family estate and only 5,000 numbered bottles produced each year? Then discover the Gran Cru Affiorato as well.

Explore Affiorato and traditional olive-oil production further in our Olijfolie Academie, or discover more exceptional Italian extra virgin olive oils.