🫒 Souri

Souri is an ancient Eastern Mediterranean olive cultivar used for oil and for green table olives. According to the World Catalogue of Olive Varieties of the International Olive Council (IOC), it comes from the city of Sour (Tyre) in southern Lebanon, and the cultivar's name matches the Arabic name of the city. Today Souri is grown in northern and southern Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and Syria.

In Israel, Souri was for hundreds of years the main cultivar of traditional rain-fed, that is, non-irrigated, groves, mostly in the north of the country; even now it covers about two thirds of the olive area. In Lebanon, together with Baladi, it is one of the two leading cultivars.

The tree grows slowly and, without irrigation, gives a commercial crop only after six years. On the other hand, it tolerates drought, shallow stony soils and a changeable climate. Yields alternate strongly, the cultivar barely pollinates itself, and cuttings root poorly, so it is partly propagated by grafting. The biggest threat is the fungal disease peacock spot.

The fruit is rich in oil: 28–35 % of fresh weight according to Lebanese data, and 27–32 % at Israeli mills. The oil is strong and aromatic, high in polyphenols at about 400 mg/kg; the best time to harvest for oil is October. The fruit is also valued for green, naturally fermented olives thanks to its firm, grainy, aromatic flesh.

Why it matters to you. If you like a robust oil, Souri is a good choice: the IOC calls it strong and aromatic. When buying new-harvest oil, keep in mind that Souri olives are pressed within a day or two of picking.