Arbequina
It is broadly accepted that the name originated in the village of Arbeca, in the Spanish province of Lleida, where the variety has been grown since the XVIth. Century. The plantation in Mequinenza is only a few kilometers distance from the place of origin of the variety. The location of the agroindustrial komplex gathers all the environmental conditions for an optimum growth and quality of the raw materials obtained from “Arbequina”. Other names given to this variety are “Arbequí” and “Arbequín”.

The trees are low-medium in height and they start producing very early in life, the variety is self fertilizing. Leaves are small, short and medium-broad with dark green upper side. Resistant to low temperatures and to drought periods. Fruits are small, spherical and symmetric; violet green and turning black when ripe, though colour change is no a good ripening indicator. Its tips are round and flesh and kern are in an equilibrated proportion. The oil tastes fruity-sweet, a little bitter and peppery. Its aroma reminds almonds, green grass, bananas and tomato.

Arbosana
The name is given by the village of L’ Arboc del Penedés in the Spanish province of Tarragona, place of origin of the variaty. It is also very close to the “Hacienda”. The trees are not very vigorous – smaller than Arbequina’s, in fact – with open, not very dense tree tops, but with a large productivity. They are specially adapted for plantations like Hacienda Iber.
Medium sized, spatula shaped, deep green leaves. Olives are very similar to “Arbequina’s”. Fruits are spherical, medium sized and clustered. Rounded, mucronated tip. They are difficult to detach from the branches, making them difficult to harvest.

The oil is characterized by a good green fruity taste, supported by green and almond grassy and also fennel tastes. Its high contents in phenolic compounds makes “Arbosana” oil specially apt to be mixed with “Arbequina’s” in a “coupage”, which gives it stability and bitter and peppery aftertastes, much coveted in the final product.