Tovar · Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Country of origin: Croatia
Region: Dalmatia
Olive grove: Pločica (island Brač)
Producer: Alexander and Cécile Hana
Process: hand-picked, extracted by centrifugation, unfiltered
Variety: Oblica
Profile: Notes of green grass, fresh herbs, pleasantly bitter and peppery

The oil

Oblica is a local olive variety that is especially adapted for the stony lime-soils of the island Brač. This traditional Dalmatian variety produces a smooth yet characterful olive oil. To get the best quality olive oil possible, Tovar follows the golden rules of olive oil production with diligence and love:

Preparing and maintaining the ground and trees

No pesticides are used, and attention is paid to biodiversity.
Every spring, the trees are carefully trimmed to open them up for more sunshine and air, and to make them more resistant to diseases.

Harvest period

As the level of maturity of the olive has a great impact on the oil’s quality and taste, the olives for the Tovar olive oil are harvested in mid-October, when they turn from green to purple. (early harvest, when the olives are still green)
Carefully hand-picked, they are brought to the local centrifuge at the end of every harvest day. This, to prevent any fermentation that could further impact the oil’s taste.

Resting period and bottling

The unfiltered oil is transferred to stainless steel tanks, where they are left to rest. During this period the sediments sink to the bottom and the oil starts to clarify naturally.
After this resting period, Tovar oil is bottled and ready for consumption.

Tovar combines artisanal techniques with the modern technology of extraction by centrifugation. Further contributors to the quality of this oil are the numerous days of sunshine, the Adriatic winds, the influence of the sea and the stony lime soils.

To benefit from all the oil’s qualities, protect it against light and air and store it in a cool place, but not the fridge.

And finally: enjoy it!

The story

In 2013, Alex and Cécile discovered the olive grove Pločica on the island Brač. They fell in love with the place and decided to set off on this adventure. The locals generously shared their knowledge and helped putting the grove back in shape. Since then, every October, friends from Switzerland and Brač come to pick the wonderful olives to produce Tovar olive oil.