The process of making AUBOCASSA and l’AMO Extra Virgin Olive Oil begins with ripeness monitoring. From the first stages, when veraison (colour change) takes place, looking for a perfect balance between ripeness and extraction potential. To obtain good yields and the highest possible quality.
"YIELD IS NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, IT IS THE NUANCES OF THE LANDSCAPE"
In Aubocassa there is a reigning philosophy that no olive should touch, nor be collected from the ground. To achieve this, we employ an umbrella and vibration system, which shakes the olive tree, causing most of the olives to fall. The rest is harvested with manual power tools operated by qualified staff.
Harvested olives are immediately taken to the olive mill where they are washed and defoliated and any other branch or debris that may be present is removed. Then the milling process starts.
The clean fruit gently ground in an innovative mill to ensure the friction does not raise the temperature and to prevent an emulsion from forming. From this stage of the process, the olive paste always circulates through a closed circuit to prevent contact with the air and, therefore, oxidation.
The olive paste from the mill is introduced into a cutting-edge machine that is a first in Spain. It circulates the paste through a cooling circuit where the temperature can be fully controlled by our mill masters.
This process practically stops enzymatic and fermentation processes, enabling the preservation of phenolic compounds that contribute to the olive oil’s aromas and flavours of the oil and adding stability.
The range of temperatures depends on the quality of the olive and the harvest, so it varies from year to year and even within the same season, to ensure the highest product quality.
The chilled paste is gently malaxed for a certain period, which is determined by fruit quality and paste consistency. This causes oil droplets to separate, come out of their cells and join one another.
Throughout this process, which takes place in a set of four malaxers, temperature is controlled so it never exceeds 27 °C thereby ensuring optimal extraction and that all aromas are maintained.
Once the paste is malaxed, it is placed in a horizontal centrifuge which separates the stones, pulp and water from the oil by exerting a centrifugal force at varying speeds.
To complete the process and remove any impurities, the cleaning process is completed with a vertical centrifuge.
This is how we obtain a green oil with an intense aroma that fills the olive mill with floral and fruity nuances.
In just two hours, we manage to capture the oil that was held by the olives in the tree when they reached optimal ripeness.
FRESH FRUIT JUICE AT ITS BEST MOMENT
OLIVE OIL STORAGE
The olive oil rests at a temperature of 20 °C in stainless steel tanks with a tapered bottom, in an inert nitrogen atmosphere.
The tanks are periodically purged to remove any remaining water that accumulates at the bottom, leaving the oil clean without the need to decant or filter it.
The tanks are saturated with nitrogen to avoid oxidation and the olive oil remains in perfect condition until it is bottled, when an order comes in.
Additive-free, just as it was inside the olive, AUBOCASSA extra virgin olive oil is bottled in dark glass to protect it from sunlight and oxidation, so it can reach the market splashing every corner of the world with Mediterranean notes.
We press 8.5 kg of the best olives to make one litre of extra virgin olive oil, compared to the 4.5 kg normally used.
We harvest the olives while they are still green, grind them within 1 hour after harvest and control the temperature of the whole process so it does not exceed 27 °C. All these steps involve a reduction in yields but, in return, they allow us to make an olive oil of exceptional quality.
This apparent waste multiplies quality, fruit and freshness.
