4 to 5 sardines in extra virgin olive oil with half a habanero chili: "It is Ultra-Hot XXL!"

The habanero chili (Capsicum chinense), which originates from Mexico, is a chili pepper from the Solanaceae family. It is grown for its fruits, which have a particularly spicy flavor. It is also known as West Indian chili or goat pepper on the island of Réunion. In the West Indies, it is very commonly used, sliced and grated over food. Its distinctive aroma is irreplaceable in West Indian cuisine.

On the Scoville scale, certain habanero varieties are rated between 100,000 and 577,000. For comparison, Tabasco sauce is rated at 7,000 and cayenne pepper sauce at 30,000. So be warned: this is a really hot can of sardines. Please be very careful.

The drawing by painter Yan de Quiberon is on the front, and on the back is a pepper tongue drawn by Frank Margerin. Many thanks to these two artists for their contribution.

Like good wine, sardines also mature over time and get better the longer they are stored. That is why many cans indicate the year they were caught, and they are referred to as "vintage sardines". We currently have vintages from 2010 to 2014 on offer. The sardines taste best when the oil has thoroughly permeated them from all sides. We recommend turning the can every 6 months and opening it after at least one year. You will clearly taste the difference: the more mature sardines are significantly more tender and flavorful, and they practically melt in your mouth. Younger sardines simply have more bite, the flesh is much firmer, and they have not yet absorbed as much oil.

More about vintage sardines