In a blind tasting of 10 tinned and jarred anchovy varieties, Waitrose No.1 Cantabrian anchovy fillets in extra-virgin olive oil emerged as the best overall, scoring four out of five stars for their sweet, balanced flavor and creamy texture. Tesco Finest Cantabrian anchovy fillets offered the best value at £2.95 per 100g, while John West anchovy fillets were deemed 'foul' and overpriced, with a loose texture and excessive saltiness.
Tasting Methodology and Expert Insights
Food journalist Sudi Pigott, author of Consider the Anchovy, joined the tasting. According to Pigott, the best anchovies are 'juicy, plump and velvety, with a sweet, nutty taste of jamón!' The panel evaluated appearance, texture (including pin bones), flavor, and value, cleansing palates with sparkling water and cucumber between samples.
The anchovy supply chain has been impacted by El Niño, causing abnormal weather in Peru, where the most economical anchovies are fished. Premium anchovies from the Bay of Biscay (Cantabrian Sea) have also faced supply shortages, driving up prices and leaving some shelves bare.
Top Performers: Waitrose and Tesco
Waitrose No.1 Cantabrian anchovies (£1.75 for 50g) impressed with small, dusky-pink fillets that were 'seductively sweet, smooth and salty but well balanced.' They are MSC certified and caught in the north-east Atlantic. Tesco Finest (£2.95 for 100g) offered medium-large, rosy-pink fillets with a complex umami flavor, though slightly salty and with some bones left in; they are cured for a minimum of 12 months and MSC certified.
Other Notable Brands
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference (£2.50 for 74g) received four stars for its large, broad fillets with a creamy, melt-in-the-mouth texture and a nutty, cured note of jamón serrano. Ortiz anchovies (£7.15 for 47.5g at Ocado) also scored four stars, praised for a milder salt content and balanced, hammy, nutty flavor; the brand, established in 1891, is often seen as a benchmark for artisanal quality.
M&S Collection (£1.75 for 30g) earned three stars for sweet, nutty fillets with an intense flavor, though they were narrow and slightly bony. Epicure (£2.55 for 50g) scored just one star, with small, hairy fillets that were very salty and intense.
Disappointing Low Scorers
Aldi's The Fishmonger anchovies (79p for 50g) were rated one star, described as having a 'fishy cat-food aroma' and a firm bite, with dark brown centers indicating potential lack of freshness. Asda Exceptional (£2.90 for 100g) also scored one star, with bristly fillets that were sharp and one-dimensional, though suitable for cooking.
Morrisons anchovies (£1 for 50g) received zero stars, with thin fillets, a strong fishy aroma, and an unyielding, tough texture. John West (£3.20 for 95g) also scored zero, criticized for being packed in sunflower oil with just 4.7% extra-virgin olive oil, despite the label, and containing preservative sodium benzoate. The panel called them 'very intense, salty, foul' with a loose texture and full of pin bones.
Impact on Consumers
The variation in quality is stark, from 'minnow-sized, stubbly and tough brown fillets that were unbelievably salty' to 'remarkably flavoured, tender, rose-coloured fillets that reminded us of serrano ham.' With prices ranging from 79p to £8.80 per tin, consumers face a wide spectrum of value. The best choices offer a sweet, nutty, jamón-like experience, while the worst are overly salty and tough, highlighting the importance of brand selection when purchasing anchovies.
