Arbequina

• The small fruit of the arbequina olive tree is known for its pungent, aromatic, fruity flavor with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Arbequina olives are named for the town where the tree was discovered, Arbequa. Arbequina fruit color ranges from pale green to dark purple when the fruit is very ripe. These olives are fragile and therefore not easy to harvest.

Empeltre

• These olives are known for their mild sweetness, almond-like nuttiness and lack of concomitant bitterness. Empeltre olive oil is fruity, aromatic and very sweet and pale yellow in color. Empeltre oil is often blended with the oil from more bitter varieties to create a mild-flavored olive oil.

Picual

• The picual or picua olive is native to Andalusia, Spain. This special fruit accounts for 20 percent of the world's olives and 50 percent of Spain's total olive production. The oil is especially stable and will not spoil easily. Picual olives contain up to 80 percent of monounsaturated oleic acid -- an important fatty acid -- making it a heart-healthy fruit. Picual olive trees are abundant producers and fruit early in the season. The olive has a mild fruit flavor and medium bitterness. Picual olive oil is ideal for frying because of its heat tolerance; its flavor also lends itself to salad dressing.

Manzanillo

• The fruit of the manzanillo tree is large and oblong with bruise-resistant skin. Manzanillo olives ripen early and are abundant producers. Flavorful manzanillos are pungent with medium bitterness and herbaceous fruitiness. The rich flavor of these olives makes it ideal for pickling.

Hojiblanca

• The hojiblanca or "white leaf" olive is a large, black and very round olive loved for its generous amount of meat. The olive gets its name from the silvery characteristic of the tree's leaves. Fifteen percent of Andalusia's olive crops are hojiblanca. Hojiblanca olives are mildly pungent with relatively little bitterness and are often served as table olives. Despite its pleasant flavor, this variety yields little olive oil.