Basilippo Teaches the Culture of Olive Oil
Editor’s note: Our thanks to James Jackman for sharing his photography.
Basilippo ancient tree photo credit James Jackman
For the Tartessos (a mixture of Indigenous people and Greek and Phoenician colonizers who settled in the south Iberian Peninsula), the fruits from the wild olive trees were essential. Legend has it that just 30 miles outside the southern Spanish city of Seville lay their city of Basilippo, the “Moon Forest Village” between the 10th and 6th century B.C. It’s here that Antonio Ruiz, like his ancestors before him, planted his first trees for cultivation in the dry white clay.
These now-centenarian manzanilla olive trees (the oldest tree is over 300 years old) spread over five hectares of land at the grove, El Pago de Cerros Blancos, make up just a small portion of Basilippo’s farms. At the La Merced grove picual and arbequina grow on 22 hectares, along with 10 hectares of orange and mandarin trees. And at Hacienda Merrha, the heart of the operation and where the fruits are milled, over 6,000 Arbequina trees grow on 24 hectares.
A Family Affair
Basilippo olive trees photo credit James Jackman
In 1999, Antonio Ruiz handed over the reins to his son, Juan Antonio Morillo. Morillo, a lawyer by trade, left his studies to pursue his blossoming love of extra-virgin olive oil; he discovered he had a great nose for tasting and never ended up practicing a single day of law. Instead, he set out to create high-quality specialty oil and became a master extractor, working under Pepe Alba, one of the most renowned extra-virgin olive experts and researchers. Yet, in a market dominated by big brands and low-quality bulk oils packaged in five-liter plastic jugs, this was far from easy. He didn’t understand why, with such prime fruits and growing conditions, people were producing and consuming these types of olive oils.
When Morillo began selling small batch oils in dark glass bottles and at a premium price, nobody understood. But his clear focus on quality over quantity eventually won out. What set Basilppo apart was rigorous quality control and obsession with flavor. Under his direction Basilippo began to win numerous international tasting awards.
In an unfortunate turn of events, Morillo tragically passed away in 2015. His passing shook both the family and the business to its core, but there is no doubt Morillo’s work lives on in Basilippo. “Juan Antonio was one of the most important tasters in the world,” says marketing manager and Basilippo tour guide, Guillermo Jiménez. “He is still here with us, he is in everything.” Morillo’s late wife, Juana Roldán, an economist by trade, took over the business and now works to keep his legacy alive. Under her direction, Basilippo has continued to innovate, grow, and win international accolades.
Growing for Flavor and Balance
Natural pest control
Less dense planting
Picking early
The grounds at Basilippo are far more wild and lush than many of the neighboring farms— there is a unique serenity. Aromatic herbs grow throughout the property as both a natural way to keep away pests and to impart aromas via busy pollinators. Dogs and cats around the groves keep other pests out.
Basilippo olive groves photo credit James Jackman
Unlike the majority of growers on large-scale farms who pack as many trees onto plots as possible, Basilippo plants trees farther apart to let more sunlight into the canopy. “This produces a higher quality oil,” says Jiménez. They also prune the trees in a way that forces the canopy to grow horizontally, allowing even more sunlight to hit the fruits. Roldán tells me olive trees are vecero, or alternate bearing, meaning one year they produce a lot of fruit and the next less. “We want the trees to produce the same amount each year,” says Roldán. They prune differently each season to create an equilibrium throughout the years, which helps meet production demands and creates a balanced oil.
Come harvest, Basilippo picks while the fruits are still green. The yield on each olive is lower— seventeen kilograms (about 38 pounds) of olives, for example, are needed to extract just one liter of oil— but the quality is higher. Basilippo’s oils, in comparison to common bulk supermarket oils in Spain, are fresh, intense, and higher in antioxidants. Instead of a flat aroma, you notice lively fruit and vegetal qualities.
While Basilippo’s aromatic oils are a beautiful golden-green, Jiménez warns consumers to be cautious when focusing so much on color. “The color of the oil is not an indicator of quality,” he says. Producers will often add in olive leaves to increase the green color, which leaves you with a bitter initial taste on the tip of your tongue.
Innovative Oils
Basilippo olive oils photo credit James Jackman
Along with monocultivars of both arbequina and picual, a gourmet blend, and a 100% organic variety, Basilippo also produces two award-winning infused oils. Their orange-infused oil using orange peels from their own farms is refreshing and floral, and they encourage consumers to drizzle it over chocolate ice cream at the end of their tastings. The other is a soft vanilla bean oil with an almondy chocolate aftertaste that’s ideal for yogurt, fruits, or even aged cheeses. Both have very natural flavors and aromas that complement the oil’s natural qualities. “When we first started our research into aromatized oils, we discovered the majority were made with very low quality oil,” says Roldán. “The idea is that the aromas cover up the imperfections in the oil, but our extra-virgin oil is made with 100% Arbequina.” This choice helped differentiate Basilippo from other infused varieties.
Educating the Consumer
Educational tour at Basilippo photo credit James Jackman
Education is at the forefront of Basilippo’s brand and the cornerstone of advancing the quality olive oil market at a local and international level. “We had a need to enhance the value of the product and explain to the consumer how to identify a good product.” says Roldán. They hosted their first tour by accident in 2002 when a group of French students stopped by the farm and asked to see the groves and mill. Now, this type of local and international tourism is a significant portion of their business; educating the consumer continues to be one of the most important components of selling high quality oil. “My primary clients are those who are buying at the farm,” says Roldán. Last year in 2024 they hosted almost 15,000 visitors.
Tours are not just for adults; for Roldán and her team, olive oil education knows no age. Basilippo organizes visits for kids, guiding school field trips with a full tour and tasting. “This helps advance olive oil culture from a young age,” says Roldán. “In the end, these are the consumers of the future.”