Castillo de Canena – Olive oil from Andalusia, family-owned since 1780
In the heart of the Jaén province, the most olive-rich region in the world, the Vañó family has been cultivating their olive groves since 1780. The property is documented in the Úbeda land registry – eight generations, one business, one place. It is named after the Castle of Canena: built by the Banu Kinana on Roman foundations and converted into a palace in 1538 by the Renaissance master builder Andrés de Vandelvira on behalf of Francisco de los Cobos, secretary to Emperor Charles V.
2003 marked the break with tradition that made the brand possible: Rosa and Francisco Vañó left their positions at Banco Santander and Coca-Cola, switching the business from bulk oil to single-varietal premium olive oil. Today, the three siblings Francisco, Rosa, and Cristina run the house – the almazara (oil mill) is in Puente del Obispo, the headquarters in Baeza.
The varieties: Picual – powerful, green, with notes of tomato leaf, almond, and fresh artichoke; striking structure, peppery finish. The backbone of Andalusian oil culture. Arbequina – finer, softer, more balanced; green apple, almond, banana. The accessible counterpart to Picual. Royal – a rare indigenous variety available in limited quantities. Craftsmanship: Early harvest (primer día de cosecha), single-varietal bottling. Harvesting is done with modern shakers instead of nets and night lighting – a process that protects the bird populations in the groves. Cultivation is carried out without herbicides, with active soil biodiversity management and ongoing reduction of the CO₂ and water footprint.
