"An Award-Winning Olive Oil Must Do More Than Be Flawless-It Must Leave a Lasting Impression"

What is "Els Millors Olis" and what is its main mission within the olive oil sector?
"Els Millors Olis" is an initiative that identifies, recognises and showcases the finest extra virgin olive oils produced in Catalonia. Its mission goes far beyond granting an award: it aims to highlight sensory quality, the work of producers and the extraordinary diversity of Catalonia's olive-growing heritage. It also seeks to bring these oils closer to consumers, strengthen their presence in gastronomy, and help high-quality Catalan olive oils achieve stronger commercial positioning both within Catalonia and internationally.

How does the tasting and evaluation process work, and who makes up the expert panel?
The evaluation is carried out in two stages through blind tastings, ensuring that each olive oil is assessed solely on what it expresses in the glass. During the first stage, the official tasters of the Catalonia Tasting Panel analyse the sensory profile of each sample and select the highest-scoring oils. In the second stage, a mixed jury composed of members of the Official Tasting Panel and internationally recognised expert tasters re-evaluates the top-ranked oils from the first round. This system combines technical rigour, independence and a broad international perspective.

What distinguishes an award-winning olive oil from the other entries?
The absence of defects is only the starting point. An award-winning olive oil stands out for the purity and freshness of its aromas, its complexity, the harmony between fruitiness, bitterness and pungency, and the persistence of its flavour on the palate. We also assess its personality and its ability to express a particular variety, terroir or production method. Ultimately, we look for oils that are technically flawless and perfectly balanced, but also oils that create an emotional response, are distinctive and leave a lasting impression after tasting.

What impact does winning an award or becoming a finalist have for producers in terms of prestige, marketing and international visibility?
Recognition provides credibility and differentiation in an increasingly competitive market. For producers, becoming an award winner or finalist represents independent recognition of the quality of their olive oil, which can be used as a valuable commercial argument with distributors, chefs, retailers and consumers. In addition, inclusion in the guide and participation in promotional activities increase visibility and facilitate access to new sales channels and international markets. An award does not replace commercial effort, but it can open doors and help transform outstanding technical quality into a compelling story that is easier to communicate and sell.

Since its creation, how have the quality and diversity of the olive oils entered in the competition evolved?
Although the competition is still a relatively young initiative, its evolution has been remarkable. Participation has increased from 132 olive oils in the first edition to 186 in the second, demonstrating the growing interest within the sector. However, it is not only the number of entries that has increased; we are also seeing oils that are more refined, better crafted and characterised by increasingly well-defined sensory profiles. Diversity has also expanded, with both small and large producers, organic olive oils, monovarietal oils and projects dedicated to preserving native olive varieties. Catalonia is learning to showcase not a single style of olive oil, but an entire mosaic of olive-growing identities.

An award-winning olive oil must do more than be flawless—it must leave a lasting impression.
From your experience as Director of the competition, what role do initiatives such as the Olive Oil World Congress play in promoting excellence and olive oil culture internationally?
From my experience leading the Official Tasting Panel, I believe these initiatives are essential because they bring together areas that for too long have developed separately: production, sensory analysis, science, health, gastronomy, sustainability and marketing. The Olive Oil World Congress enables knowledge sharing between producing and consuming countries, promotes awareness of the latest scientific research and helps address common challenges. Excellence should not only be achieved—it must also be explained and made accessible to society. Events such as these help build a common language and present olive oil as a contemporary, innovative food with enormous international relevance.

What are the main challenges and objectives for "Els Millors Olis" over the coming years?
One of our main objectives is to consolidate the competition's prestige and credibility by maintaining an evaluation system that is rigorous, independent and transparent. We also aim to increase participation, strengthen the international visibility of the selected olive oils and bring olive oil culture closer to new audiences, particularly younger consumers. Another major challenge is to continue highlighting Catalonia's varietal diversity, small-scale producers and projects closely linked to their local territories. Quality, sustainability, education and commercial development must advance together so that excellence also generates economic value and long-term opportunities for the sector.

Finally, what message would you like to share with producers who have not yet participated in "Els Millors Olis", and what would encourage them to take part?
I would tell them that participating is already an opportunity in itself, regardless of whether they win an award, as every olive oil scoring more than 80 points will be included in the Guide to the Best Extra Virgin Olive Oils of Catalonia. Entering an olive oil allows producers to benchmark their work against professional evaluation criteria, understand where they stand within the sector and gain valuable feedback to continue improving. Moreover, behind every sample there is a story, a territory and countless hours of dedication that deserve to be recognised and shared.