Elixer Organic Olive Oil from Pitted Olives in Gift Box

Elixer – organic Arbequina from pitted olives

Elixer is one of the most unusual olive oils produced by Cuadrat Valley. The organic Arbequina olives are harvested very early and then pitted before they are milled. Only then do they continue through the usual stages of extra virgin olive oil production.

It may sound like a small difference, but it has major consequences for production. On average, approximately 12 kilograms of Arbequina olives are needed to produce one litre of Elixer. The yield is therefore exceptionally low.

The result is an Arbequina that is considerably more expressive than you might expect from this normally gentle variety: fresh, green and aromatic, with surprisingly clear bitterness and pepperiness.

Olives are normally milled together with their stones. With Elixer, the hard pit is removed beforehand. Only the flesh of the olive then continues through the production process.

Cuadrat Valley is therefore reviving a technique that was already known in Roman times. At the same time, the oil is produced using modern technology and precise control throughout the process. It is exactly this combination of tradition and technique that makes Elixer so distinctive.

Arbequina, but with unexpected power

Elixer has a distinctly green-fruity and fresh character. The very early harvest allows the Arbequina to show its green and vegetal side particularly clearly.

What makes this oil especially interesting is the combination of that freshness with bitterness and pepperiness that are unusually pronounced for Arbequina. Even so, the profile remains beautifully balanced and the elegant character of this Spanish cultivar remains recognisable.

The flavour also lingers for a long time. This makes Elixer particularly interesting for those who enjoy Arbequina but are looking for more tension and character than in a classically soft example.

Where does Elixer work best?

Thanks to its combination of green fruitiness, bitterness and pepperiness, Elixer is particularly suitable for use raw or as a finishing touch. This allows its distinctive flavour profile to remain fully recognisable.

Try it with bitter-leaf salads, grilled vegetables, poultry and white fish. Elixer is also surprisingly versatile with cheese: it pairs beautifully with fresh and soft cheeses while providing an interesting contrast to stronger blue cheeses.

Cuadrat Valley is located in Les Garrigues in Catalonia, a region closely associated with the Arbequina olive. The producer combines the traditions of the region with a modern olive mill and uses different harvest times and production techniques to reveal different sides of the same Arbequina cultivar.

Elixer is an organic extra virgin olive oil. Because of the very early harvest and the removal of the pits, the yield is low: on average, around 12 kg of Arbequina olives are needed for one litre of oil. This explains why Elixer occupies such a special place within the Cuadrat Valley range.

Explore more about olives and olive oil in our Olijfolie Academie.