Aceites el Tilo S.L.

About us
Our company «Aceites El Tilo» was founded by a humble family who has always been dedicated to agriculture and olive cultivation in the Sierra de las Villuercas, in the province of Cáceres (Spain), where there is an ancient olive tradition. The oils obtained from their olive trees convey all the love that the Santos family has for the land that they have cultivated for generations. In 2014, Jaime Santos Barroso expanded the original rain-fed olive grove of the “El Tilo” family farm with the planting of 7,000 olive trees of the same Cornicabra variety, with a drip irrigation system. Shortly after, together with his wife Maria Carmen and their sons Pablo and Jaime, they decided to venture on the commercialization of their early harvest oils, setting up the company “Aceites El Tilo” and the brand of the same name. All the knowledge passed down from generation to generation, together with the modern cultivation and extraction technologies, have allowed us to obtain Cornicabra single-varietal oils, of high sensory quality and great healthy attributes, the result of the unique and incomparable natural environment of the Sierra de las Villuercas.

The El Tilo farm
A unique location in a natural environment The El Tilo farm is located in the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark, in the northeast of the province of Cáceres, in the region of Extremadura (Spain). Located at 800 meters of altitude, the farm has 35 hectares of olive groves where 9,000 olive trees, exclusively of the Cornicabra variety are cultivated. This variety is ideal for the mountain climate and the orography of the terrain. The farm is called "El Tilo" because of a beautiful old specimen of this tree species that has witnessed the growth of our olive trees for generations.

Within El Tilo farm, we also find an area of wild nature that occupies about 30 hectares. Thickets and a large number of protected trees such as junipers, holm oaks and cork oaks, typical of the Mediterranean forest grow along with many other species of native flora and fauna. On the banks of the Ibor river which bathes the property, the wildlife is very rich, and the farm is frequently visited by deer, wild boar, foxes and even Iberian lynx, a native cat of the Iberian peninsula, which until recently was in danger of extinction.

Sustainable agriculture
In El Tilo farm we practice sustainable agriculture. All the energy required for carrying out the activities of the farm is obtained from our solar panels. In our olive grove, the vegetal cover of the soil is carefully preserved to prevent erosion, help in the retention of water and nutrients, and favor the increase of organic matter in the soil.

The Cornicabra variety
The Cornicabra is one of the most traditional and representative olive cultivars of Spain. However, it is one of the least known internationally. This variety is the most widespread in the central and western central zones of the country, from where it would originate. Cornicabra olive trees are resistant to cold and drought, and adapt very well to poor and limestone soils. Its medium-sized fruit is elongated and asymmetrical, with a very characteristic shape reminiscent of a horn, from which its name is derived.

The Cornicabra olive oils
This olive produces fruity, fragrant and aromatic oils; with bitter and pungent values of medium intensity, result of its richness in minor components of high biological value.
The chemical composition of Cornicabra EVOOs shows a very high content of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid with high nutritional value, and a wealth of polyphenols -natural antioxidants-, among which oleocanthal, of great anti-inflammatory power similar to ibuprofen stands out.
All this provides superior healthy attributes, great thermal stability and high resistance to oxidation, which translates into a long commercial life.

El Tilo Olive Oil
The extra virgin olive oils from El Tilo come from olives of the Cornicabra variety, carefully cultivated on our family farm. The olives are harvested in early November, when they begin to change color from green to purple At this state of ripeness, the oil is already fully formed and retains all its richness in natural antioxidants and other minor components, responsible for its healthy attributes and sensory characteristics.
The oil extraction is done in cold, 12 hours after its collection to keep all its qualities intact.

Tasting notes
El Tilo Cornicabra features an olive green fruitiness of medium to high intensity, with notes of olive leaf and almond, and hints of green apple. Its taste is somewhat sweet at the beginning, followed by a pleasant and well-balanced bitterness and pungency of medium intensity, and a distinct green almond aftertaste.

Recommendations for use
The Premium quality of our extra virgin olive oils makes them ideal for consuming raw. They act as a condiment or flavoring, practically like a sauce, which enhances the flavor and texture of food and makes it more nutritious and digestible. El Tilo Cornicabra, due to its robust sensory profile, is ideal to accompany foods with a defined or intense flavor, such as red meat, veal or rabbit, cured cheeses and some fish with a marked flavor such as cod. Also ideal as a dressing for green salads of bitter leaves, for the preparation of tomato sauces, gazpachos and salmorejos, marinades, pasta dishes or toasts with oil. It is also perfect for sprinkling on cooked or grilled vegetables such as aubergines, broccoli or green asparagus, and to finish, vegetables dishes and many other stews.