These JOSÉ Gourmet Small Sardines in EVOO came from Caputo's. I had tried several varieties, and wanted to get a sense of just plain sardines in EVOO by them. I had already had the even smaller ones in the "crosspack" configuration.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.
Nice braided packing, silvery bellies up. Only a few spots of roughed up skin. I see no scales, tails, nor fins. There's a fish aroma that's only a little stronger that which I've some to expect. An initial sip of the EVOO is unrevealing.
Let's Eat
The fish are reasonably firm, and extract from the tin mostly intact. There are six fish total. Small, yes, but I've had other tins with a six count (or more) that weren't touted as being a premium small size.
I note the EVOO has a dark, almost amber color, not the golden green I'm used to seeing. Tasting it a second time, it has none of the flavor notes I've come to expect from a good extra-virgin olive oil. I poured about half of what was left in the tin over the fish and rice anyway.
Digging in, they are tender, but a tad dry on the palate. I also note a lack of salt, which, together with the lackluster EVOO, is making for a rather bland experience. Disappointing. I also note verbiage by both the vendor and the producer on the vendor's website touting these as being smoked. Neither my palate nor the carton corroborate this claim.
About halfway through, I pulled out my new jar of MW Polar Crunchy Black Garlic Chili Crisp, which made a measurable improvement.
Main Takeaways
- Tender pilchards, if a tad dry
- Bland flavor, fish and EVOO
- Needed salt
This wasn't the experience I was expecting or had hoped for. JOSÉ Gourmet has been consistently good in the past, but I guess every tin can't be a solid winner.
Brand: 100 Misterios / JOSÉ Gourmet
Description: Small Sardines in EVOO
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.2 oz.
Price Range: $9