Merula Extra Virgin olive oil in bottle or bulk packaging

Merula is made by Marqués de Valdueza and is a blend of Morisca, Arbequina, Picual and Hojiblanca. Four olive cultivars with quite different characteristics.

The skill here is not about maximum power. The different varieties are combined so their aromas complement one another and ultimately create a harmonious, rounded olive oil.

That makes Merula particularly interesting for anyone who wants to use good extra virgin olive oil without looking for strong bitterness or a peppery kick with every dish.

Merula is available in a classic 500 ml bottle and a distinctive 3-litre Bag-in-Tube with tap. The olive oil is identical; the way you use it is different.

The 500 ml is ideal if you like having the bottle on the table. The 3-litre version is for those who use Merula regularly and want a larger supply without constantly opening new bottles.

The three litres are not simply stored in a large container. Inside the sturdy tube is a flexible bag with an integrated tap. As olive oil is dispensed, the bag gradually contracts.

This means a large volume of air does not continually need to enter the package to replace the oil that has been poured out. At the same time, the outer tube protects the oil from light.

That makes the Bag-in-Tube particularly interesting for anyone who uses good extra virgin olive oil every day: plenty in reserve, easy dispensing and packaging deliberately designed to protect the contents.

With a traditional bottle or container, air enters the empty space after olive oil has been poured out. The emptier the container becomes, the larger that space becomes.

A Bag-in-Tube works differently. The inner bag becomes smaller as oil is dispensed, helping to keep the remaining olive oil much better separated from outside air.

It is practical too: place the tube in position, use the tap and fill a small carafe, measuring jug or pan directly. No heavy three-litre container that has to be lifted every time.

Merula is produced by Marqués de Valdueza on the estate near Mérida in Extremadura. The estate produces both olive oil and wine and works with several olive cultivars to create two distinctly different styles of extra virgin olive oil.

The Marqués de Valdueza olive oil is greener and more pronounced. Merula is deliberately softer, riper and more approachable.

That is precisely why Merula is often the bottle that empties fastest in the kitchen: a serious extra virgin olive oil that does not need to be saved only for special occasions.

500 ml: ideal when you want to discover Merula, use several different oils alongside one another or like having a bottle on the table.

3-litre Bag-in-Tube: interesting when you use extra virgin olive oil every day, regularly cook for several people or simply do not want to open a new bottle every few weeks.

Three litres of extra virgin olive oil sounds attractive, but a large package will also be used for longer than a 500 ml bottle. That makes storage and protection especially important.

The Bag-in-Tube addresses this cleverly: light is largely excluded and the package does not have to fill with more and more air during use. It therefore fits the idea behind Merula perfectly: good olive oil for every day.