Description
Ingredients: sardines (Sardina pilchardus), olive oil, chili and salt.
The terms “spiced” and “spicy” are used pretty much interchangeably in the tinned fish world, to mean two different things: with a hot pepper (or hot pepper flavor), and with cloves/bay/carrot/hot pepper. There are many examples of both terms being used to mean both things.
We are so frustrated by how widespread this confusing inconsistent usage is that we’ve gone through our entire product line to correct the incorrect ones such that our description of “spiced” or “spicy” will always indicate which it really is, regardless of the packaging. “Spicy” = with hot pepper flavor. “Spiced” = with the cloves/bay/carrot/hot pepper flavors.
emosberger (verified owner) –
This was one of the best tin of spicy sardines that I’ve had the pleasure of sampling. First of all the box art lets you know that you’re in for something special. Cracking open the lid I was presented with a gorgeous display of perfectly packed little fish with a shimmering coating of oil on top. Each sardine was firm enough to come out of the tin without breaking apart and the texture was perfect, no spine crunch that I could detect. Spice level was more of a background note, I would give it a 1.5/5, just enough to notice but allow the sardines themselves to take center stage. Seasoning level was perfect also.
I had a tin of the Silver Line spicy sardinellas the previous day because I really wanted to compare the Gold vs Silver tins. Except for some very minor differences (the texture seemed a touch firmer in the Gold) I feel that it’s essentially the same product, just packed in two different styled and sized packages. Silver Line is an individual serving whereas the Gold Line tine is really meant to be shared or be a centerpiece of a tinned seafood charcuterie board.
In conclusion, if you want the perfect ideal of what a gourmet tin of spiced sardinellas should be like, look no further than this tin. I plan on keeping this on hand for special occasions or to introduce someone who is intrigued about sardines to the good stuff.
Hream McDan (verified owner) –
Big ‘n beautiful. Almost feels so fancy like you need a special event to open this, but you really shouldn’t wait to crack it open. These sardines are for the folks who like a firmer sardine as they’re a great representation of the Spanish style. Don’t associate firmness with dryness though … these aren’t dry. They’re much closer to garfish texture than they are to a King Oscar sardine. Moisture levels remain solid/average while maintaining that above-average firmness that brought me right over to thinking “hey, these kinda remind me of my favorite Mabuti spiced sardines.” Are these spicy? No, my tin wasn’t much at all. Agree with previous reviewer on the 1.5 out of 5. While I’d have loved slightly more heat, the slightly spicy background note brought out a lot of depth that I really appreciated. Much more intrigue & flavor in this than a regular Ramón Peña “sardines in olive oil” tin, plus it’s a gigantic 4+ oz size for those extra-hungry lunches. I’d be quite happy to eat this tin again.
Christian Bromley (verified owner) –
I must admit, I was skeptical about this tin. I’m a fairly price conscious consumer, and I wondered what qualities could justify the price tag. I ordered the tin, mostly out of curiosity.
After I finally got around to trying this tin, I understood why it can command that sort of price. As other reviewers have stated, the tin is packaged and presented perfectly. These sardines have the best texture that I’ve experienced, being quite firm but nowhere near dry. I even experienced some crumbly spine action, despite their size! They also have a a great, delicate taste, which is accentuated by the spicy oil. It’s not a hot oil, but it slowly accumulates to a gentle warmth as you enjoy the fish. Overall, everything about this tin was premium, clean, and delicious.
As of the time of this review, I’ve been able to sample 23 tins of sardines (yes, I keep a list). This tin, while being the most expensive, was also the best that I’ve had by far. I think this will be my “special occasion” tin, for birthdays and the like. An exquisite treat, especially if you enjoy the lil guys.
Cody Edwards (verified owner) –
What more could you want from a tin of ‘dines? Part of me will always want more spice, but there’s enough here to add a very nice additional note to these little delights. These are easily in my top 5 favorite tins so far. Guaranteed a great time, give em a go.
BMS (verified owner) –
This tin changed my entire world-view on canned sardines. Eating the first one out of the tin was like the scene from Ratatouille where the food critic ate the, well, ratatouille.
Will definitely be keeping these in mind again for the occasional treat, fantastic.