At Attilus Caviar we value our team’s dedication and expertise extremely highly. Creating one of the world’s most elite natural delicacies takes a huge amount of knowledge and experience – after all, its our sturgeon husbandry and caviar making skills that make our precious roe taste so special. So when you buy caviar online from us, you can be sure it’s among the best caviars in the world even if you consider yourself a connoisseur.
For some people though, especially those just discovering caviar, there are a few things about this wonderful delicacy that they may find somewhat surprising, such as:
1) Very little caviar actually comes from Russia
In the world of caviar, Russian sturgeon are widely acknowledged to be the best fish for producing the finest caviar like our very own Royal Oscietra. Surprisingly, though, only a tiny fraction of the caviar that is consumed in Europe actually comes from Russia. This is partly because overfishing has placed a great deal of pressure on wild sturgeon stocks which has resulted in much stricter regulation of the industry. This, in turn, means that Russian sturgeon are now bred and raised elsewhere in the world, in sustainable aquaculture facilities like ours in Jessen, Germany.
2) You can hear caviar
When we hire a new caviar grader to help ensure we always meet the very highest quality standards, one of the traits we look for is a natural ear for music. This is because the sound of newly packed eggs rubbing against each other creates friction which can be heard. An expert can clearly distinguish the sound of great caviar as something similar to a cat’s purr.
3) Siberian caviar isn’t particularly salty
Traditionally the delicacy is known for a somewhat salty taste, but our Royal Siberian caviar may surprise you with its smooth, clear and finely balanced taste. There is a delicate hint of the sea ‘in the pop’, but the distinct lack of saltiness really sets this caviar apart and provides a unique taste experience that you might otherwise miss.
4) Sturgeon live as long as we do
We don’t tend to think of fish living as long as humans, but it’s true when it comes to the sturgeon. In fact, the older the sturgeon, the better their eggs taste. And the price of this caviar is higher too. The finest, most expensive caviars are from the most mature sturgeon (somewhere between 60 and 100 years old in rare cases) with slightly larger eggs that are also lighter in colour than most caviars.
5) The range of flavours is huge
Caviar tasting is not as straightforward as you might expect, and just like fine wine and other delicacies, expert tasters are few and far between. There are plenty of flavours and varieties on offer for these caviar junkies, and traditionally the very best produce is reserved for elite establishments, just like the finest wines. Caviar’s immense popularity means that more affordable options - commonly called ‘caviar substitutes’ - are also available, less luxurious and frequently lacking the depth of flavour you find in real sturgeon caviar.
