The Queer One Early Harvest Picual October 2023 Harvest Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml
Aroma:
An intense and complex aroma of well flavoured salad leaves leaps out from the
bottle along with a touch of sorrel, tomatoes-on-the-vine and light citrus tones with flowery lemon and lime.
Taste:
The flavours in the mouth do not disappoint as they develop with the addition of
mustard leaves, peppery watercress and a growing presence of really attractive tomato coulis. Bitterness and pepper come in to add to the complexity and all linger into the long fruity after
taste.
Style:
This is a medium to robust oil with extremely well balanced fruit, bitterness and
pepper.
Assessment:
This is an excellent oil with an appealing aroma and characterful taste. It can be
successfully combined with a wide range of other ingredients, used to make dips and to add an extra dimension to everything from soups and salads to stews, casseroles and pasta dishes.
The idea for The Gay Farmer came in the beginning of 2008 after Mark did his first olive harvest on his mother’s small farm in Moratalla, north west Murcia in Spain.
The oil from our harvest tasted wonderful and the idea came to import to the UK and sell to local delis, wholefood and grocery stores. The word spread amongst my friends and, being a gay man, they teased Mark with, “so what are you now then dear “The Gay Farmer?” The Gay Farmer was born!
After 7 harvests with the local Mill and an ever-increasing knowledge of Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Mark made the decision, on my birthday, in February 2019 whilst at our farm to switch Olive Mills to one of the finest and oldest family run Organic mills in the country. After 6 generations at Cortijo El Tobazo, since 1850 no less, the family produce one of the finest Multi Award Winning Early Harvest Picual Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oils available, which cannot be beaten on quality or flavour.
Their organic and bio diversity principles are second to none, resulting in an Olive forest, where the land is not rotavated, leaving a sea of green goodness for 197 different species of fauna and flora as nature intended. The Olive Mill is situated at the centre of a 1500-acre estate, ensuring the olives are from tree to press in less than 3 hours to limit oxidization. This preserves maximum health benefits and flavour.
Roll on to 2024 and Mark Qualified as a Olive Oil Sommelier after a intensive course with the Olive Oil Times Education Lab, tasting 100s of oils and learning an in-depth knowledge from cultivation to the finished packaged product, from the leading experts in the world and meeting wonderful like-minded people in the process.
2024 also The Gay Farmer’s biggest change in our 12 year history, with shockingly bad harvests across the Mediterranean basin in 2023 we decided to bring another Organic Mill into the fold and change our original classic from an Arbequina & Picual to 100% Arbequina from a delightful Mill in Zaragoza. Along with our premium Early Harvest Picual From Jaen Andalucia we really are offering some of the finest Organic EVOO around. They also have plans to bring to you more Organic EVOO in the very near future with an emphasis on Organic, Single Variety, Quality and Sustainability.
So that is the story so far, all that is left to say is “Enjoy”, The Gay Farmer, Multi Award Winning Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oils at their finest and as they should be, whilst caring and respecting this beautiful planet we live on for generations to come…
