These Mabuti Spiced Sardines in Pure Olive Oil came from International Loft, where they had been out of stock for quite some time, apparently long enough that their page had been removed from the website's menu. The brand is produced by Pinhais, the cannery who also brings you Nuri and the less frequently-seen (in the US) flagship Pinhais label. These are a bit unusual in that the tin is only 3.17oz, whereas most hover in the 4oz. range.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.
Well, there's a surprise. Small can, but also small fish, which is a good thing. I count 8 sardines, intentionally packed in an interlaced arrangement. The skin roughed up on most, and they're really wedged in there. No fins or tails. What may be scales, I hope is only some loose skin.
The aroma is of the usual spice items, which I expect to find underneath the fish. A sip of the oil is similar.
Let's Eat
Beneath the fish I found the usual suspects: two small piri peppers, a pickle slice, a paper thin piece of carrot, a fragment of bay leaf, one clove and a lone peppercorn. I strained the oil remaining in the tin over everything.
Digging in, the fish are incredibly tender, and the chili pepper and spice flavors have infused them quite well. So well, in fact, that I wish I'd bought more than the one tin.
Thankfully, no scales. Apparently it was just loose skin. I didn't dissect any of the fish, but I assume there were bones, which were soft enough as to be undetected.
The salt level is just right, the label listing an average 360mg. sodium.
The wrapper indicates these were canned on the 145th day of 2025 (late May), if I'm reading it right. Makes me wonder what took this tin so long (over a year) to get over here to the US.
Main Takeaways
- Small pilchards a plus
- Incredibly tender
- Spicy seasoning spot on
Honestly, I'm not really sure what this sub-brand is supposed to represent. The tin is small, but the price is on par (until recently) with Nuri. Certainly not the prettiest tin of fish, but the size and count are both plusses for which others charge a premium. Then, there is the seasoning, every bit as good as the best spiced sardines out there. I recommend trying some before they disappear again.
Brand: Pinhais/Mabuti
Description: Spiced Sardines in olive oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.17 oz.
Price Range: $6