Visiting Can Det's Olive Mill in Mallorca
In 1942, electricity reached the tafona, or olive mill, where Guillermo Deyà Ozonas, the grandfather, had installed the machinery for pressing oil at Can Det estate. He was by no means the first to start this tradition. The oldest documents mentioning Can Det and the family date back to 1525, and they are always linked to the production of oil and citrus fruits in the Sóller Valley.
Over 500 years and seventeen generations later, the production has not stopped. Can Det continues to write its story, adapted to the present but still preserving the traditions that mean so much to the family and Sóller.
The only functioning traditional olive mill in the Balearic Islands
Can Det's olive mill has been restored and adapted to electricity, but the machines remain the same as those installed by the current owners' grandfather. What makes Can Det truly marvelous is that it is the only olive mill in the Balearic Islands that still operates with the traditional system: a mill with three conical stones working on a two-and-a-half-meter-diameter stone base.
The hydraulic presses and baskets used are the same as those employed for generations. The interest of this space, where oil is extracted from Sóller's olives, lies in preserving the practices that have meant so much to the family throughout the centuries.
Guided tours to witness the oil extraction process.
The olive mill offers guided tours and product tastings at the family house. The owners, welcome visitors and share all the activities they carry out on the estate, including oil production as well as citrus cultivation and harvesting.
Throughout the year, visitors can explore the historic house, the garden, and the olive mill. Additionally, a tasting of the finest Mallorcan products awaits in the family room, featuring pan moreno (a type of bread), olives from Can Det, ramallet tomatoes, and freshly squeezed orange juice. All of this accompanied by the magnificent oil they produce.
During the autumn months, from October to mid-January, visitors can also witness the entire oil production process. Olive harvesting in Sóller is done manually, as the terrain does not allow the use of machinery. The olive trees grow on the slopes of the mountains, on terraces with dry stone walls, making it a unique setting different from other areas of Mallorca. All these circumstances contribute to the special taste, distinct aroma, and unique character of Sóller's oil.
The farmers of Sóller knew how to take advantage of everything the valley had to offer throughout history, transforming the natural environment and making the most of the available resources.
The Agricultural Cooperative of Sóller
Another olive mill worth visiting in Sóller is the Sant Bartomeu Agricultural Cooperative. It is the oldest in Spain and specializes in citrus harvesting and oil production.
Like its counterpart in Can Det, the cooperative gathers olives from all the small landowners in the area to produce the oil they consume in their homes throughout the year.
