Flamingo Estate Heritage Extra Virgin Olive Oil 16.9oz

Olive Oil forms the cornerstone of our holiday cuisine, and Philip Asquith, a fourth-generation olive farmer, cultivates these olives exclusively for Flamingo Estate's use, producing an Olive Oil that has become legendary.

Philip's estate, nestled in Ojai, California, boasts a thriving community of gnarled, centuries-old olive trees. These Olive trees trace their roots back to cuttings taken from the most ancient and revered Olive groves in Europe, carefully sourced by Philip's family during their visits to generational groves in Tuscany, Provence, and Sicily. Many of these trees were centuries old, some even surpassing a thousand years in age. The result is a remarkable collection of trees that yield Oils not commonly found in this part of the world. Their Columella and Nocellara Del Belice varieties are particularly noteworthy, which consistently produce this finest of Olive Oils. Their diligent hand-harvesting process provides a selection of Olives virtually impossible to find in the United States, including Columella, Nocellara del Belice, Cailletier, and Lechin de Sevilla.

Due to the fruit's fragility, these trees cannot be mechanically harvested, resulting in a slower yet more deliberate process that imparts much complexity and nuance to the Olive Oil. The Olives are picked by hand and promptly pressed during the harvest, yielding a fresh, vibrant, green, and peppery Oil. The temperature and rainfall patterns significantly influence the flavors during the growing season.

The current harvest is particularly exceptional, as abundant winter rain, mild spring breezes, and warm summer sun characterized it. This unique weather pattern resulted in a bountiful crop of Olives, producing a robust Olive Oil rich in antioxidants and packed with polyphenols.

Philip humorously shares the Sicilian 'cough method,' emphasizing that to gauge the freshness and quality of an Olive Oil, it should make you cough three times or more when tasted. This signifies that you are experiencing the freshest and finest Oil, and we are delighted to report that we consistently receive three coughs — every time.