What is unfiltered oil, or Oli del Raig? Properties of the first cold pressing

Olive juice in its purest state

In the traditional mills of Les Garrigues, the first pressing in November is very nearly a festival. Oli del Raig is the liquid drawn from the arbequina olive before it goes through any cellulose filtering or any long settling in tank.

What exactly is unfiltered olive oil?

Unfiltered olive oil is an extra virgin olive oil bottled just as it comes out of the mill, without passing through cellulose filters or sitting for weeks in a settling tank, so it keeps the microparticles of pulp, skin and vegetation water of the olive held in suspension. That is the name everyone searches for: unfiltered olive oil. Here in Les Garrigues we call it Oli del Raig, "the oil from the jet", because it is what you catch from the stream running out of the mill in the first days of the harvest. Ours is 100% arbequina olive oil, hand-picked and milled the same day, cold-extracted below 22 ºC, with acidity under 0.2º and P.D.O. Les Garrigues.

The three things that make it different

1. Cloudiness and living chlorophyll: a dense emerald green with golden lights, from the natural microparticles of pulp and skin of the fresh olive held in suspension.
2. Polyphenols and antioxidants at their peak: because it never meets an aggressive industrial filter, it keeps its flavonoids and its natural vitamin E concentrated.
3. An aromatic burst on tasting: uncap the bottle and you get tomato leaf, fresh artichoke, cut grass, green apple and banana.

All three have the same explanation: what a filtered oil takes out, this one keeps in. That suspended matter gives colour, body and aroma, and it also sets the calendar: an oil like this is drunk young.

Why unfiltered olive oil looks cloudy

Why isn't oli del raig clear?

Cloudy olive oil is cloudy because it contains solid particles of olive pulp and skin plus traces of vegetation water, which in a filtered oil are removed mechanically before bottling. It is not a fault: it is the direct consequence of skipping the cellulose filter. Those particles carry chlorophyll and give the emerald green you see when you hold the bottle up to the light. A bright, clear extra virgin is not worse; it has simply had one more step.

Is it normal to find sediment at the bottom of the bottle?

Yes, it is normal, and it is the proof that the oil really is unfiltered: over the weeks the particles fall with gravity and settle into a dark deposit at the bottom. Don't throw it away. Just tip the bottle gently to spread it through, or leave it still and pour only from the top. What you should avoid is leaving the bottle for months somewhere warm, because that sediment is plant matter carrying a little moisture and it is the first thing to turn winey.

First cold pressing: what it means and why it happens in November

What does "first cold pressing" actually mean?

First cold pressing means the oil comes from a single mechanical extraction, with no heat added and with the paste held below 22 ºC throughout the malaxation. Temperature is the whole point: go above that threshold and you get more litres out of each batch, but the fresh aromas evaporate. Working cold means taking less oil from every kilo in exchange for keeping the character of the fruit. The olives, on top of that, are picked by hand and milled the same day: from tree to mill it is a matter of hours, not days.

Which month is Oli del Raig made in?

Oli del Raig is made in November, with arbequina olives from the first pick, and it is a limited run that ends when it ends. It cannot be made in March: it depends on the olive still being green and firm. That early ripeness is what explains the marked bitterness and pepperiness of a freshly made arbequina extra virgin olive oil, two positive attributes in tasting that soften over the months.

Unfiltered olive oil and filtered EVOO: how they differ

What is the difference between unfiltered and filtered olive oil?

The difference is one step in the process: filtered oil goes through cellulose filters that take out the solid particles and the residual moisture, and unfiltered oil is bottled with them still inside. Filtered oil is clear, more stable and holds a constant profile all season. Unfiltered oil is cloudy, more intense on the nose and in the mouth, with more body, and shorter-lived because those particles are living matter. Neither is "more extra virgin" than the other: the category depends on the analysis and the tasting panel, not on filtering. For everyday cooking a filtered oil pays off; for raw, seasonal use, the raig is a step up in intensity.

Keeping it: how long it lasts and how to store it

How long does unfiltered olive oil last?

We recommend using unfiltered olive oil within six months of bottling, and the sooner the better: it is a seasonal product, not one for the cellar. The very particles that give it intensity also speed up its evolution. A well-kept filtered oil will see out the whole season with no noticeable change; the raig is at its best in the first few weeks. That is why we bottle it in 500 ml (€17.90) and 250 ml (€12.90): sizes you finish.

How should you store a bottle of oli del raig?

Keep it upright, tightly closed, somewhere dark and cool, between 14 and 18 ºC, away from the hob, the oven and the window. The three enemies of unfiltered olive oil are light, heat and oxygen: light degrades the chlorophyll, heat speeds up oxidation, and air slowly turns it rancid. Not in the fridge: below roughly 7-10 ºC the oil solidifies and white lumps appear, which are crystallised fat and disappear on their own at room temperature.

How to use it and what to pair it with

Unfiltered olive oil is meant to be used raw: on toasted country bread (pa amb tomàquet, bread rubbed with tomato), on beef or bacallà carpaccio, on chargrilled vegetables and on salads of garden tomatoes.

From there it works on anything that sees no more heat: a thread over a bowl of pumpkin soup already plated, over white beans, over fresh cheese, or over the rice as it comes off the pan. If it is your first time, start with toast and salt: any sauce will cover up the tomato-leaf and artichoke notes.

Can you fry with unfiltered olive oil?

You can, but there is no point: heating it drives off exactly the aromas you pay for in an oli del raig, and the suspended particles burn before the oil does and leave an unpleasant bitterness. For frying and for the base of a dish, use a filtered extra virgin. Save the raig for raw, at the end, with the dish already made.

Frequently asked questions

Is unfiltered olive oil extra virgin?

Yes. Unfiltered oil can be, and usually is, unfiltered extra virgin olive oil: the category depends on the analytical parameters and the tasting, not on whether it has been through a filter. Our Oli del Raig is 100% arbequina extra virgin olive oil, with acidity under 0.2º and covered by the P.D.O. Les Garrigues.

Can you eat the sediment at the bottom?

Yes. The sediment is olive pulp and skin, it is edible and it holds a good part of the flavour. Some people shake the bottle to make the most of it and others prefer to pour only the clear part. The one thing not to do is leave the bottle for months somewhere warm.

Why does new oil catch at the back of your throat?

The peppery catch in the throat and the bitterness in the mouth are positive attributes of a young extra virgin and are associated with the presence of phenolic compounds. A November oil has a good deal of pepperiness, and that edge softens over the months. An oil that is neither bitter nor peppery is not therefore better: it is usually older or milder.

When can you buy Oli del Raig?

It goes on sale in November, with the first milling of the season, and it is limited: once that pick has been bottled and sold, you wait for the following year. In 500 ml bottles (€17.90) and 250 ml bottles (€12.90).

Is unfiltered olive oil better than filtered?

It is neither better nor worse: it is different and it is used differently. Unfiltered wins on aromatic intensity and body, and it is the one to reach for raw; filtered wins on stability and does more for you in everyday cooking. In a house that uses oil every day, the sensible thing is to have both. At El Molinet de cal Flari we have been doing it this way for seven generations, since the 1785 carved into the keystone above the door, and today people rate us 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 55 reviews.