Ortiz

Best for: purists · Price tier: premium · Origin: Basque Country, Spain

Basque cannery founded 1891, famous for tuna and for sardines 'a la antigua' - prepared the old way.

Sardines a la antigua are noted for improving with age in the tin, like the French vintage tradition.

The range

• Sardines a la Antigua in Olive Oil
• Sardines in Olive Oil

Packing style

Olive oil. Packing liquid matters more than most beginners expect: olive oil keeps fish silky and is the default recommendation on this site; water-packed tins are leaner and better for mashing into salads and pastas.

What it tastes like

Deep, mature, silky - the tin collectors cellar on purpose.

Our flavour notes summarise each maker's own descriptions and published reviews.

Compare next

• Fishwife — best for beginners, premium tier
• King Oscar — best for beginners, mid tier
• Wild Planet — best for health optimizers, mid tier

See where Ortiz lands in Best sardines overall.