Collection: Olive Oil from Portugal

The olive tree was introduced in Portugal around the 1st century BC, again by the Phoenicians or Greeks at the same time as Spain. The fruit immediately adapted to the rocky soil and periods of drought and has become a mainstay of the country's agriculture.  Archaeological evidence suggests that olive trees were first brought to Andalusia during the Bronze Age, between 2700 and 2400 BC. The first olive groves were planted by Phoenicians in 1050 BC, and olive oil became a cultural staple soon after.

Throughout the ages, the Iberian Peninsula has seen many influences—from the Romans to the Arabs and Visigoths—and each has left a lasting impact on the culture surrounding olive oil.

The Roman Empire is widely credited for the spread of olive oil throughout the Mediterranean, while the Portuguese and Spanish words for olive oil (azeite and aceite, respectively) are both derived from the Arabic al-zait, which means “olive juice.” The word Azeite (olive oil in Portuguese) has an Arab origin (the word came from Az-zait, which means olive juice).  

In Portugal, although there are remnants of the presence of the olive tree from the Bronze Age, it would have been the Romans and later the Visigoths and Arabs that contributed mostly to the development of its cultivation.

The olive groves in the center and south of Portugal were  planted and replanted as the centuries rolled by the beginning of the 14th and 15th centuries, during the reign of King João I, that they became most abundant, mainly between Coimbra and Évora, extending through the valley of the Tagus from Santarem to Lisbon.

Portugal, with its perch on the Mediterranean and sun-kissed climate, produces an olive oil that is amongst the best. A mild and fruity extra virgin olive oil from Portugal with a pleasantly spicy flavor and an aftertaste of dried fruit.

Sacco Imports only imports olive oil produced by independent farmers using sustainable farming methods.

Supporting Sacco Imports with your purchase, you are helping to ensure that the oldest olive oil communities worldwide continue to thrive while you savor the Mediterranean’s most exquisite olive oils.