When we buy extra virgin olive oil, we don’t often pay attention to the olive variety that is being used to make the olive oil. This is largely inadvisable.

Like wines, which are produced from different grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, extra virgin olive oils are also made from different olive varieties.

Each olive variety has its own characteristics, personality and intensity. Here is a look at one of the olive varieties widely planted worldwide and used in culinary preparation: Arbequina.