Olive Oil

Rich, golden, and full of Mediterranean flavour, Maltese olive oil is the very essence of the country’s magnificent cuisine. Bursting with taste, and with a history spanning 2,000 years, dipping your bread into this tasty oil is like taking a dip into the Island’s rich and colourful past.

With olive trees still in use dating back to Roman times, where many villas had specially designated areas for pressing, oil production is one of the Island’s oldest (and tastiest) traditions, and once played a starring role in the country’s economy.

What makes this product so unique?  Like many Mediterranean countries, Malta’s superbly sunny climate and ruddy alkaline soils make it ideal for olive cultivation. However, the real advantage that Malta has over all other olive-producing countries is size. With no tree ever too far from the coast, the constant exposure to the briny air of the sea makes a product that is fresher, saltier, and tangier than olives grown in larger countries.

As well as this, with freshness being paramount to good taste, Malta’s tiny size means less transport time between picking and pressing, giving it a flavour that oils from other countries simply can’t match.

A key player in many of the Island’s tastiest stews and sauces, this mighty oil is an intrinsic part of Maltese culture, with the olive picking season marked with lively village celebrations each September in Żejtun, a town whose name is descendent to the word ‘oil’ in Maltese. For those wishing to see exactly what goes into producing this tasty delicacy, there are Olive Oil experience tours that walk you through the intricate process, step by step.

A definite must for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in local cuisine, once you’ve tried Maltese oil there’s no looking back!