Tuscany's olive oil is perhaps its best-known specialty. Tuscany produces only 4 percent of Italy's olive oil, due to the region's harsher climate and less-than-ideal growing conditions. An olive tree elsewhere in Italy can produce up to 20 times more olives than a Tuscan tree.
However, this lower yield means that Tuscan trees produce olives with concentrated flavors and aromas, causing a “quality over quantity” effect. Tuscany’s high-quality olives have led to the development of a wide variety of regional and specialty oils, which together have earned the well-deserved nickname “liquid gold.”