Pamako | The most important answers first

Pamako wild olives | What exactly does this term mean?

This term deserves a precise explanation.

Pamako describes its own Tsounati trees as growing largely naturally or wild around the rocks.

Therefore, when I say at Green Agora:

Pamako wild olives

I mean:

Tsounati olive trees from the mountain region of Selino that grow wild or naturally between the rocks.

The variety remains:

Tsounati.

We are not turning Tsounati into an invented botanical wild olive species.

The special feature is the combination of:

• a specific olive variety
• old trees
• rocky mountain landscape
• natural growth form
• difficult accessibility

The actual story here is already extraordinary enough.

Wild-growing is not the same as a botanical wild olive

Especially with premium foods, language should remain precise.

The term "wild olive" can create the impression in the reader that it is a separate botanical wild form.

That is precisely what I do not want to claim with Pamako.

The producer cites as the main variety in its groves:

Tsounati.

And describes many of these trees as growing naturally around the rocks.

That is why, for me, the most precise phrasing is:

wild-growing Tsounati.

Or:

Pamako wild olives of the Tsounati variety.

Always with an explanation of what is meant by it.

Origin can be emotional.

Nevertheless, it should be explained in a botanically accurate way.

Selino | The mountain landscape behind Pamako

The Pamako olive groves are located in Selino in the southwest of Crete in the Chania region.

The producer describes the location near the ancient city of Elyros.

The groves are located in a rocky and mountainous landscape at approximately:

500 to 700 meters above sea level.

Many areas are difficult to reach.

According to Pamako, in large part, there are no normal roads leading directly into the groves.

The terrain is:

• mountainous
• rocky
• irregular
• partially steep
• difficult to access for heavy agricultural machinery

This origin is therefore more than just a place name on a label.

The landscape directly influences how the trees can be cared for and how the olives can be harvested.

Centuries-old olive trees | On average about 200 years

Pamako describes its mountain olive groves as having extraordinarily old trees.

The average age is given by the producer as approximately:

200 years.

The size is also remarkable.

According to Pamako, the trees reach an average of approximately:

11 meters in height.

Individual specimens can, according to the producer, reach approximately:

20 meters.

Such a tree is managed differently than a young, kept-low tree in a modern intensive plantation.

Its shape.

Its position.

Its accessibility.

Its individual condition.

All of this can be different.

Pamako therefore describes that individual trees are treated according to their respective needs.

The producer points to knowledge that has been passed down over more than four generations.

With Pamako, tradition does not only mean history.

It is also evident in the practical handling of very old individual trees.

Tsounati | The olive variety at the center of Pamako

The main variety in the Pamako groves is:

Tsounati.

Pamako describes Tsounati as a rare, traditional Cretan variety and points to historical roots dating back to the Minoan era.

This historical classification is a producer statement.

For me, however, in everyday life, something else is particularly important.

Olive oil is often described too generally.

Greek olive oil.

Olive oil from Crete.

Both are correct.

But I want to know more:

Which olive?

With Pamako Gold, the answer is:

100 percent Tsounati.

With this, a customer can not only get to know a region.

They can consciously taste a specific olive variety.

That is exactly where real variety understanding begins for me.

Olive oil from Greece | Understanding regions and olive varieties

Koroneiki | The second variety in the Pamako groves

Alongside Tsounati, the following also grows at Pamako:

Koroneiki.

The producer describes Koroneiki as the second variety in its groves.

It was cultivated more extensively there in the last century in particular and partially grows between the older Tsounati trees.

This results in two clearly different Pamako concepts.

Gold stands for 100 percent Tsounati.

Silver combines 60 percent Tsounati with 40 percent Koroneiki.

The wrong idea would be:

Gold is the good version and Silver the weaker one.

That is not how I would explain these two olive oils.

They are two interpretations of the same producer world.

Pamako Gold Organic | 100 percent Tsounati

Pamako Gold is the monovarietal edition.

Monovarietal means:

The olive oil comes from a single olive variety.

With Gold, this variety is:

100 percent Tsounati.

That is exactly why I would show Gold to someone who says to me:

Ayhan, I want to get to know Tsounati as directly as possible.

With the single-variety bottling, there is no second olive variety alongside it.

This allows one to get to know Tsounati in a particularly conscious sensory way.

This does not mean that a monovarietal olive oil is fundamentally better than a blend.

It means:

The individual variety is more strongly in focus.

Pamako describes its monovarietal as fresh and fruity with distinct spicy or peppery elements and a softer bitter component.

Gold can therefore be particularly interesting for people who:

• want to consciously get to know Tsounati
• like intense olive oils
• appreciate bitterness as a positive sensory characteristic
• find peppery throat perception interesting
• like to taste olive oil pure
• are looking for a characterful finish for dishes

Discover Pamako Gold Organic 500 ml

Pamako Silver Organic | Tsounati meets Koroneiki

Pamako Silver pursues a different concept.

According to Pamako, the blend consists of:

60 percent Tsounati

and:

40 percent Koroneiki.

Tsounati thus remains the larger component.

Koroneiki complements the profile.

This is precisely where the direct comparison becomes exciting.

Gold shows:

Tsounati alone.

Silver shows:

Tsounati in interaction with Koroneiki.

Pamako describes the blend as fresh and powerfully fruity with milder spicy and bitter elements.

Silver can therefore be particularly interesting for people who:

• want to get to know Pamako
• want to experience Tsounati and Koroneiki together
• find fruitiness particularly important
• are looking for a profile that is both characterful and accessible
• want to use the olive oil pure and in cooking

Discover Pamako Silver Organic 500 ml

Gold or Silver | Which Pamako fits better?

Of course, I can analytically compare both olive oils.

Total phenols.

Oleocanthal.

Other phenolic compounds.

Sensory profile.

But in the end, a question remains that no laboratory table can fully answer.

Which profile do you like better?

Gold stands for:

pure Tsounati.

Silver stands for:

Tsounati plus Koroneiki.

One person loves Gold.

Another finds Silver more harmonious.

Some only truly understand the difference when both olive oils stand side by side.

Then the differences become immediate.

Fruitiness.

Bitterness.

Pungency.

Aromatics.

Throat perception.

Aftertaste.

Balance.

The person tastes the olive oil.

Not the table.

Why the Pamako olives are harvested by hand

The Pamako trees do not grow in a landscape that was designed for large harvesting machines.

People must adapt to the landscape.

Pamako therefore describes the harvest as:

Manual labor with the support of electric harvesting tools.

Due to the height of individual trees, workers sometimes climb into the treetops.

This clearly distinguishes this method from harvesting in low-lying and machine-optimized plantations.

Here, too, it becomes clear:

The natural growth form and the terrain have practical consequences for the harvest.

Early harvest | When the Pamako olives are still light green

Pamako describes an early start to the harvest.

Usually, according to the producer, the harvest starts at the beginning of October.

The fruits are harvested while they are still light green and before stronger purple discoloration begins.

The entire harvest can subsequently stretch over several weeks.

An early degree of ripeness can have an influence on:

• oil yield
• aromatics
• bitterness
• pungency
• certain phenolic compounds

But this does not result in an automatic formula.

An early harvest alone does not guarantee a top-tier olive oil.

Processing on the day of harvest | Why time matters

According to their own statements, Pamako processes the harvested olives on the very same day.

This is a concrete production factor.

Olives are fruits.

After harvesting, changes can begin under unfavorable conditions.

Damage.

Heat.

Long intermediate storage.

Inappropriate transport.

All of this can influence the subsequent quality of the oil.

That is why I particularly like the combination at Pamako:

old mountain olive groves on one side.

And:

consistent process control after the harvest on the other side.

Processing below 26 degrees Celsius | What Pamako states itself

For processing, Pamako cites temperatures of:

below 26 degrees Celsius.

On the current Green Agora product pages, Gold and Silver are described as cold-extracted at under 27 degrees Celsius.

For the legally reserved term:

cold extraction

the following applies in the European Union:

It may be used for extra virgin olive oil or virgin olive oil if the extraction is carried out by percolation or centrifugation of the olive paste at under:

27 degrees Celsius

.

The phrase:

first cold press

is, by contrast, reserved for another traditional method using a hydraulic press.

Therefore, these two terms should not be used interchangeably at will.

Pamako removes the olive pit before malaxation

A notable processing step at Pamako is the removal of the olive pit before malaxation.

Subsequently, the olive paste is further processed.

According to the producer, malaxation takes a maximum of approximately:

30 minutes per batch.

During malaxation, the paste is slowly stirred so that smaller oil droplets can combine with each other.

At the same time, enzymatic and chemical processes are taking place.

That is why I am interested in concrete data from a producer such as:

• Temperature
• Duration
• Oxygen exposure
• Process management

Such information explains significantly more than a general sentence like "traditionally produced".

Argon during malaxation | Tradition meets modern process management

This contrast is particularly interesting at Pamako.

On one side there are:

old Tsounati trees in a rocky mountain landscape.

On the other side, Pamako describes modern oxygen management.

During malaxation, the producer states that it uses:

Argon.

Argon is an inert gas.

The goal is to reduce the contact of the olive paste with oxygen.

Oxygen can promote oxidative processes.

But the following also applies here:

Argon does not create quality from poor fruits.

It is a technical measure intended to protect existing potential during a processing step.

Tradition and modern technology do not have to be opposites.

Argon during storage | What the current producer source says

After processing, Pamako stores its olive oils in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, protected from sunlight, according to the producer's own description.

The producer also states that the storage tanks are filled with:

Argon

.

The goal, once again, is to reduce contact with oxygen.

For olive oil during storage, the following are particularly relevant:

• Oxygen
• Light
• Heat
• Time

A light-protected bottle can also help later to reduce exposure to light.

But:

A dark bottle does not create quality.

It merely protects the oil from a significant stress factor.

Storing olive oil correctly | Understanding light, heat and oxygen

Why argon and nitrogen are not simply the same word

Argon and nitrogen can both be used as protective gases.

However, they are not the same substance.

Therefore, product descriptions should be consistent here.

The currently accessible Pamako producer description mentions:

Argon during malaxation and argon in the storage tanks.

When concrete production details are communicated, they should always be based on the producer's actual current process management.

With technical specifications, precision is stronger than a general marketing term.

Pamako analytical values | Extraordinary, but always sample-specific

Of course, laboratory values are part of the Pamako story.

The current Green Agora product pages cite the following for the currently communicated analyses:

These values are analytically exceptionally interesting.

But I do not want to turn this into an immutable characteristic of the brand name.

Olive oil is a natural product.

Harvests differ.

Samples differ.

Analysis times differ.

Methods can differ.

An analytical value belongs to a specific sample.

Not for all eternity to a logo.

The detailed analytical classification therefore belongs in the separate Pamako analysis article.

Pamako laboratory values | Understanding Gold, Silver, certificates and harvests

High Phenolic | An important profile, but not an official olive oil grade

Internationally, Pamako is strongly associated with high phenol levels.

This is understandable.

The currently published analyses are extraordinary.

But:

High Phenolic is not an official legal olive oil grade.

The legal grade for these products is:

Extra virgin olive oil.

Phenol values are an additional analytical layer.

For me, therefore, the stronger description is not simply:

High Phenolic.

But rather:

Which variety, which harvest, which sample, and which concrete values?

This is precisely what makes an extraordinary number comprehensible.

Oleocanthal | When Pamako becomes peppery in the throat

When consciously tasting Pamako, a distinct peppery sensation in the throat can occur.

A compound that is particularly interesting in this context is called:

Oleocanthal.

Scientifically, oleocanthal is associated with a characteristic irritating or peppery perception in the back of the mouth and throat.

But:

The throat is not a laboratory.

I can perceive pungency.

I cannot determine a reliable concentration in mg per kg from it.

That is why at Green Agora, the following applies:

My throat detects pungency.

The laboratory determines milligrams.

Oleocanthal in olive oil | TRPA1, pungency and analytical values

Sensory analysis | Bitterness and pungency are positive in olive oil

The International Olive Council lists, among others, the following positive attributes for virgin olive oil:

• Fruitiness
• Bitterness
• Pungency

Bitterness is not the same thing as pungency.

Pungency is described as a biting tactile sensation and is particularly characteristic of olive oils from early harvest phases and predominantly still unripe olives.

It can be perceived especially in the throat.

This fits very well with the world of Pamako.

But here, too, I do not build a simple ranking.

More pungency does not automatically mean higher overall quality.

Sensory quality is multidimensional.

Fruitiness.

Bitterness.

Pungency.

Balance.

Absence of defects.

Aromatic character.

A good olive oil is more than a single sensory intensity.

You should try Pamako sometime

I can write about Pamako for a very long time.

About Selino.

About the rocks.

About old Tsounati trees.

About Koroneiki.

About early harvest.

About pitting.

About argon.

About polyphenols.

But at some point, text reaches its limit.

Then you need a glass.

When you taste Gold and Silver side by side, for example, pay attention to:

• Fruitiness
• Aromatics
• Bitterness
• Pungency
• Location of the throat perception
• Duration of the aftertaste
• Balance
• Personal preference

Perhaps, because of the higher analytical values, you expect Gold to automatically become your favorite.

And perhaps after tasting it, you might like Silver better.

This is exactly why sensory analysis is so important.

Analysis describes the sample.

Sensory analysis describes the perception.

Drinking olive oil pure | Getting to know varieties and sensory analysis

How do I use Pamako Gold?

Because of its intense character, I would use Gold particularly where the Tsounati is not meant to disappear completely into the dish.

For example, with:

• Tomatoes
• Feta
• Robust salads
• Bread
• Legumes
• Grilled vegetables
• Soups as a finish
• Fish as a finish
• Mediterranean appetizers

Of course, Gold can also be used in the kitchen.

With such a characterful bottle, however, I find it particularly interesting when some of the aromatics remain consciously perceptible.

Gold is allowed to keep its voice in the dish.

How do I use Pamako Silver?

Silver can be interesting for people who want to integrate Pamako into their cooking in a versatile way.

For example, with:

• Salads
• Tomatoes
• Pasta
• Vegetables
• Fish
• Bread
• Mediterranean appetizers
• Finished dishes as a finish

This is not a rigid kitchen rule.

It is a sensory orientation.

In the end, your own taste decides.

Which olive oil for salad, cooking or pure?

Discovering Pamako | Single bottle, comparison or value pack

For me, there are three different buying phases for Pamako.

1 | Single bottle to get to know it

If you have never tasted Pamako, a single bottle is often the most sensible entry point.

Get to know Tsounati as directly as possible:

Discover Pamako Gold Bio 500 ml

Get to know Tsounati and Koroneiki together:

Discover Pamako Silver Bio 500 ml

2 | Comparison for understanding

Those who consciously taste Gold and Silver side-by-side usually understand the two concepts faster than through many pages of text.

Pure Tsounati.

Versus:

Tsounati plus Koroneiki.

For current gift boxes and comparison assortments, the respective product page should always be checked, as contents and bottle sizes can change.

Discover current GreenLife boxes

A good comparison box can be more than just packaging.

It can be a learning product.

3 | Value pack, once the favorite is decided

If Gold or Silver is already known and used regularly, the purchasing decision changes.

Then it is less about discovery.

Then it is about the favorite.

Pamako Gold Bio | 3 x 500 ml:

Discover Pamako Gold value pack

Pamako Silver Organic | 3 x 500 ml:

Discover Pamako Silver value pack

Single bottle | discover.

Comparison | understand.

Value pack | reorder favorite.

Pamako Organic | What this information means

Pamako Gold and Silver are offered at Green Agora as certified organic extra virgin olive oils.

Green Agora identifies the control body as:

DE ÖKO 007.

Organic is an important product feature in its own right.

But here, too, different levels should be kept separate.

Organic does not automatically mean high polyphenol content.

Organic does not automatically mean intense pungency.

Organic does not automatically mean better sensory qualities than any non-certified olive oil.

In Pamako, organic certification and other special product features come together simultaneously.

It is precisely this combination that makes the product interesting.

Pamako Wild Olives | Frequently asked questions

Does Pamako really use wild olives?

At Green Agora, we use the term "Pamako wild olives" to describe the Tsounati trees described by Pamako, which largely grow naturally or wild around and between the rocks.

What variety are the Pamako wild olives?

Tsounati.

Is Tsounati a distinct botanical wild olive species?

We are not claiming that. In this article, "wild" describes the natural growth form of many Tsounati trees in the rocky mountain landscape as documented by Pamako.

Where do the Pamako olives grow?

In Selino, in the southwest of Crete, in the Chania region.

How high up are the groves?

Pamako cites approximately 500 to 700 meters above sea level.

How old are the trees?

The producer cites an average age of approximately 200 years.

How tall do the trees grow?

Pamako cites an average of approximately 11 meters. According to producer data, individual specimens can reach approximately 20 meters.

Which olive variety does Pamako Gold possess?

100 percent Tsounati.

Which varieties does Pamako Silver possess?

60 percent Tsounati and 40 percent Koroneiki.

Is Gold better than Silver?

Not automatically. Gold is a monovarietal Tsounati edition. Silver combines Tsounati and Koroneiki. The choice also depends on personal sensory preference.

Is Pamako harvested by hand?

Yes. The producer describes hand harvesting using electric harvesting aids. For tall trees, workers sometimes climb into the tree canopy.

When does the harvest begin?

Pamako usually describes starting at the beginning of October, while the fruits are still light green.

Are the olives processed on the same day?

Yes. According to Pamako, processing takes place on the day of harvest.

What temperature does Pamako cite?

For processing, the producer cites temperatures below 26 degrees Celsius.

Are the olive pits removed?

Yes. Pamako describes pitting before malaxation.

How long does malaxation take?

A maximum of approximately 30 minutes per batch, according to producer data.

Which shielding gas does Pamako mention?

Argon. The producer describes using argon during malaxation and for storage in stainless steel tanks.

Does Pamako have high phenol values?

Yes. The currently published Green Agora analyses show very high values. However, these figures pertain to the specific sample tested and may change between harvests and analyses.

How high are the current values of Pamako Gold?

The current Green Agora product page lists 2081 mg per kg of total phenols and 1318 mg per kg of oleocanthal.

How high are the current values of Pamako Silver?

The current Green Agora product page lists 1466 mg per kg of total phenols and 758 mg per kg of oleocanthal.

Can I try Pamako on its own?

Yes. Pamako can be consciously tasted on its own and enjoyed as a culinary delicacy. This is a sensory experience and not a medical therapy.

Why Pamako is more than an analysis number to me

High phenol values are an important part of the Pamako story.

But if I stop there, I lose a lot.

I lose:

Selino.

The rocks.

The old trees.

Tsounati.

Koroneiki.

The hand harvest.

The early harvest.

The processing on the day of harvest.

The pitting.

The process control.

The argon.

Gold.

Silver.

And finally:

the human being who decides which of these olive oils they truly enjoy.

That is precisely why this article is not intended to be a second laboratory report.

Analytics has its own place.

Here, the focus is on the world behind Pamako.

Ayhan's personal assessment | Why I talk about Tsounati and the mountains first when it comes to Pamako

When I have a bottle of Pamako in front of me, I could immediately name a large number.

2081 mg per kg.

1318 mg per kg of oleocanthal.

These are current and analytically extraordinary values for Gold.

They can be mentioned.

But I would still say first:

Look at where these olives grow.

Old Tsounati trees stand there.

Naturally, between rocks.

In a mountain landscape that is difficult to access.

Some trees are so tall that people climb into the canopy to harvest them.

The olives are harvested early.

Processed on the same day.

The pit is removed before malaxation.

Malaxation is limited in time.

According to its own information, Pamako works with argon during this process.

And in the end, two very different products are created.

Gold made from pure Tsounati.

Silver made from Tsounati and Koroneiki.

That, to me, is Pamako.

Tsounati.

Landscape.

Producer.

Craftsmanship.

Technology.

Sensory analysis.

Analytics.

Human being.

Everything belongs together.

But not everything has to play the same leading role at every moment.

An extraordinary analysis number only becomes truly interesting to me once I understand which olive and what labor lie behind it.

Ayhan from Green Agora

Read more | Understanding Pamako and premium olive oil

• Pamako lab values | Gold, Silver, certificates, and harvests
• Polyphenols in olive oil | Total values and individual compounds
• Oleocanthal in olive oil | TRPA1, pungency, and analysis values
• Early harvest olive oil | Understanding early harvest
• Drinking olive oil neat | Getting to know varieties and sensory profiles
• How do you recognize good olive oil?

Discover Pamako at Green Agora

Pamako Gold Organic | 100 percent Tsounati

Discover Pamako Gold Organic 500 ml

Pamako Silver Organic | Tsounati and Koroneiki

Discover Pamako Silver Organic 500 ml

Pamako Gold value pack

Discover Pamako Gold Organic 3 x 500 ml

Pamako Silver value pack

Discover Pamako Silver Organic 3 x 500 ml

More premium olive oils

Compare premium olive oils

Pamako at the Green Agora Olive Oil Showroom

Especially with Pamako, a direct tasting can explain a great deal.

A possible sequence is:

Silver first.

Then:

Gold.

Following that, a completely different olive oil can follow.

For example, Kalamon.

Or a Koroneiki from another producer.

This turns theory into a real comparative tasting of varieties.

Get to know the Green Agora Olive Oil Showroom and tasting

Personal olive oil consultation | Which Pamako is right for you?

If you would like to choose between Gold, Silver, or a value pack, we can take a closer look together.

I am interested, for example, in:

• which olive oils you are already familiar with
• how much bitterness you enjoy
• how you perceive peppery pungency
• if you would like to get to know pure Tsounati
• if you would like to compare Tsounati and Koroneiki with one another
• if you consciously taste olive oil neat
• if you primarily use it for culinary purposes
• if you want to discover first or are already buying in bulk

This is not medical advice.

It is personal olive oil consultation.

WhatsApp: +49 175 9009341
Email: info@greenagora.de

Technical and product-related basis

• Pamako | Mountain olive groves in Selino
• Pamako | Tsounati, natural growth form and Koroneiki
• Pamako | Harvesting, pitting, argon, and storage
• Pamako | Monovarietal from 100 percent Tsounati
• Pamako | Blend of 60 percent Tsounati and 40 percent Koroneiki
• International Olive Council | Sensory standards and test methods
• EUR Lex | Cold extraction and labeling of olive oil

The central classification of this guide is:

Pamako combines old Tsounati trees that grow wild or naturally between rocks with early hand harvesting and technically controlled processing.

Gold and Silver are not quality levels, but two different varietal concepts.