The world of Caviar is an expansive one and with words like ‘Osetra’ ‘Roe’ and ‘Sturgeon’ it’s easy to get confused…
Have no fear! I’m here to explain the different types of Caviar as best I can to make your Caviar purchase go as smoothly as possible.
First things first, let’s get some terminology under our belts.
Sturgeon (stûr′jən) n. – A salt water fish that moves to freshwater to spawn; highly sought after for its prized eggs and also its edible flesh
Osetra (ō-sĕt′rə) n. – The word osetra comes from the Russian word “осётр”, which translates into English as sturgeon; also known as Ossetra, Oscietra, and Astera
Roe (rō) n. – The eggs of a fish
Caviar (kăv′ē-är′) n. – The salted roe (eggs) from the various species of Sturgeon
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, we can get more into specifics!
After going over these definitions, you may look at our selection and say “What’s the difference in all of these types of Caviar? I see an Imperial Osetra, a Royal Osetra, Osetra Supreme, etc.” The difference is species, grade and maturity.
Our domestically processed Caviar and Roe are graded to be “A” and our imported Caviar maintain a grading system of 000, 00 and 0. With 000 being the highest quality possible.
Let’s start with the above examples!
Our Royal Osetra is the roe of the Schrencki Daricus. It is one of our highest quality Caviars and is our number one seller. It also has a Caviar grade of: 000. Crisp and distinct, amber colored pearls that have a smooth and nutty flavor.
From there we’ll go to our Imperial Osetra which is our scarcest and most exclusive Caviar. The best of the best is selected by hand from our stock of Royal Osetra. This Caviar also has a grade of: 000. Smooth and buttery, these golden pearls have a fresh crisp aroma.
Next we’ll go to our Osetra Supreme which is from the species Acipenser Transmontanus (also known as White Sturgeon). Also graded: 000, the large, grey pearls carry a smooth and refined flavor.
While these are just a few examples, you have many options to choose from! Now that you know what makes great Caviar great, go out there and show the world what a Caviar connoisseur you are!
