At Maison Zitoun, everything starts with the olive. Without our olive, no oil and no story. And within the rich universe of olive varieties, one variety holds a very special place: the Chemlali - our origin olive, and the small fruit that gives our house its flavour.

The name Chemlali comes from the Arabic word chems, meaning sun – a nod to its exceptional tolerance for drought and heat. The tree thrives where other varieties give up, and today covers the Tunisian landscape with approximately 30 to 35 million specimens.

That is no coincidence. For centuries, Tunisia has been one of the largest olive and olive oil producers in the world – a country where olive trees colour the landscape to the horizon, and where the craft is as deeply ingrained in the culture as bread and tea. What defines the Mediterranean imagination in Italy or Spain, happens quietly on a large scale in Tunisia. The Chemlali is the crown jewel of that – and at the same time one of the best-kept secrets.

Harvesting takes place from November to January, always by hand. Those who taste Chemlali for the first time will immediately recognize its soft, mild character. Slightly fruity in aroma with notes of green almond. Creamy on the palate, with a mild spiciness that only pricks through right at the back of the throat.

But the Chemlali is more than its oil. It is also a table olive of exceptional class - small, juicy, and full of character. It's that small size that gave our olives their nickname: Caviar d'Olives. Small pearls, each treated with care, and meant to be savored with equal attention.

However, making a good table olive is a very different exercise than pressing a good oil. The olive must be brined - and that's precisely where the art lies. The correct ratio of salt to water determines everything: too little and the olive stores poorly, too much and its delicate flavour disappears under a salty blanket. Furthermore, Chemlali olives absorb salt faster than larger varieties, so the technique must be precise down to the last detail.

That's why last year we started a new search – exactly as we did before for our oil. Various brines, various proportions, and once again blind tastings until we found the brine that allows the Chemlali to shine in all its finesse: salty enough to preserve, mild enough to breathe.

You'll find the result in our range today. An olive with the ripeness of the sun, the softness of Tunisian soil, and the craftsmanship of a kitchen that doesn't rest until it's perfect.