I purchased these Porthos Sardines in Olive Oil at the same time as a tin of their spiced version. Those, as you may recall, I thought were quite good. I like to try unseasoned versions to see if the quality of the fish stands on its own.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.
Nice looking fish. 5 pilchards to the can is always a plus for me, size-wise. Not evident from the photo, but the olive oil has a rich, greenish golden hue.
The fish lift from the can intact. No scales noted. The meat is tender, not dry at all. It may be my imagination, but I think I detected a subtle note of spice. The ingredients list none, nor are any evident in the can. But the oil does have a distinct, pleasant (vegetal? grassy?) aroma, not related to the fish, which are very clean-tasting. If concocting a dish using these sardines, it would be a sin to waste this olive oil.
Overall, these did confirm my assumptions of quality, but I think any re-buy would have to be the spiced version.
Main Takeaways
- Great looking, tender fish
- Top notch olive oil
- Expected Porthos quality
Reasonably priced in a 3-pack at Amazon.
Brand: Conservas Portugal Norte / Porthos
Description: Sardines in olive oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $6