The most expensive and sought-after key ingredient in many world-class restaurants is caviar. With its rich and impeccable taste that melts in the mouth, you will be amazed that these luxurious gems were discovered from a fish. Caviar are shaped like tiny pearls, has a pleasant range of color with a delightfully smooth and buttery taste, and is well-known for its famous “Caspian pop” when it bursts at the roof of the mouth.
Whether it is your first encounter with this gem or you have labeled yourself as a “caviar lover”, you would always look for the best caviar experience you can get. Find out what type of caviar is the best!
Table of Contents
Beluga Caviar
Beluga caviar is the most sought-after, luxurious type of caviar. A long time ago, caviar was primarily harvested from wild Beluga sturgeons in the Caspian Sea. Because of overfishing, they have become rare species making them a more desirable and expensive source of exquisite caviar. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service banned the importation of wild beluga to protect this species. As an alternative to wild fishing, there are caviar farms that grow Beluga sturgeons to equally produce the same quality and taste of wild caviar. A fully mature Beluga sturgeon takes 18 years to produce a 100-pound roe, but to harvest those large glistening pearls with an exceptional flavor that melts in the mouth is worth the long wait. Beluga Caviar is the gold standard for all the other types.
Almas Caviar
Without a doubt, Almas caviar, also known as “diamond” caviar, is the best type of caviar out there. It is harvested from the Iranian Beluga, which is a hundred-year old albino beluga sturgeon. It has a light-yellow color with a briny and buttery flavor. Almas Caviar, however, is so luxurious that it can’t be sold anywhere and costs up to US $25,000!
Osetra Caviar
If you are looking for the next best thing to Beluga caviar, you can try Osetra Caviar. Osetra sturgeon is one of the key species found in the Caspian Sea. Now grown in farms, Osetra produces high-quality caviar that is smaller in size, varies in color from a shimmering golden to brown, and has a smooth, buttery flavor. What makes it unique is its creamy nutty taste, like a walnut. It is less expensive than the beluga caviar.
Kaluga Caviar
Known as “river beluga”, the species are found in the Amur River. Now grown in farms, Kaluga sturgeons are the sustainable and the best alternative to the endangered Beluga and Osetra species. They grow up to over 18 feet, making them the world’s largest freshwater sturgeon. A Kaluga sturgeon can produce 44 pounds of caviar. The Kaluga caviar has a creamy, smooth, almost buttery texture and Caspian pop almost similar to Beluga. It’s a great substitute for other expensive caviar.
Shassetra Caviar
If you are already a caviar lover, you will be amused by Shassetra Caviar, also known as the “kiss of the sea”. It is utterly sensational, owing to its briny and brilliant flavor that somehow separates it from the rest.
Sevruga Caviar
If you are seeking a lower market price for these tiny black pears, the quickest and more available produce is Sevruga caviar. It only takes 8 years to farm and its produce still offers a superior taste. Harvested from full-grown Acipenser stellatus sturgeons, Sevuruga caviar are described as small, delicate black pearls with a crunchy texture that does not melt in the mouth but teasingly crackles and pops in the palate.
Now that you are equipped with knowledge about caviar types, you can choose the best caviar that is perfect for your gatherings. The good news is that it now more accessible because of caviar food delivery system that allows customers to get uncompromised, high-quality caviar that will suit your preference.