Sales unit: Can of 115g
In stock
The best-before date for vintage sardines
High-quality vintage sardines have a minimum shelf life of 4 to 10 years from the date of bottling, depending on the manufacturer. However, unlike conventional canned sardines, these are designed for significantly longer storage.
Maturation like that of fine wine
Much like fine wine, vintage sardines develop over time. Stored in high-quality olive oil, the oil permeates the fish, making it increasingly tender and melting. The flavors become more complex and balanced, while the initial iodine note softens. Many connoisseurs appreciate sardines most after 5, 10, or even 15 years.
Proper storage
For optimal maturation, an intact can (without dents, rust, or bulges) is required. Store the cans in a cool, dark place at a stable temperature. Turning them over every six months ensures even oil penetration.
Conclusion
The best-before date is a legal requirement, but not an expiration date. For vintage sardines, it marks the beginning of their flavor development.
These sardines were made the old-fashioned way during the 2022 fishing season and canned in Douarnenez. They are only now on the market, already slightly candied and definitely a treat for all fans of high-quality canned fish!
If you can control yourself, you are welcome to store the sardines for a few more years. Like good wine, vintage sardines mature over the years and become even more tender and fine.
Only available in limited quantities!
This beautiful tin is the result of a collaboration with the Breton artist Bruno Blouch.
The painter Bruno Blouch, born in Brest in 1957, regattas on the Breton coast in his youth. For about thirty years he has been working passionately on a personal work dedicated to the sea and ships.
Although his painting is figurative, it does not represent objects in their appearance. Reality is altered to balance and harmonize shapes and colors.
Bruno Blouch patiently composes his paintings through a series of sketches. In this approach, the lines take precedence over the meaning. Buoys, beacons, hulls and sails offer their curves. The shrouds, masts and funnels of the ships determine the straight lines.
His personal style, characterized by close framing and bright colors, is emphasized by the work's elongation on the frame.
A regular visitor to major seafaring gatherings, he exhibits his oil paintings throughout Brittany: La Baule, Pont-Aven, Quimper, Brest Saint-Malo...
Calligrapher and illustrator (event posters, tins of sardines, postal envelopes...). Bruno Blouch also enjoys transforming simple rudders, propellers, fairway buoys or boats into works of art.
