Beluga caviar, harvested from the Beluga sturgeon, is perhaps the most sought-after caviar in the world and is considered “the king of caviars”. Beluga caviar pearls are extremely large, skewing toward pea-sized, and can range in color from pale silver to deep black. To be sure, Beluga sturgeon caviar is a luxurious option for the true caviar connoisseur, and is the most highly priced caviar on the market.

Due to the sought-after nature of Beluga caviar, Beluga sturgeons originating from the Caspian Sea are considered to be critically endangered. This has led to an import ban on Beluga sturgeons from the areas surrounding both the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, with the exception of Iran, which is known to practice responsible and effective conservation. In fact, the most expensive Beluga caviar in the world, Almas caviar, originates from 60-to-100-year-old Iranian Beluga sturgeons.

In recent years, the import ban has been partially lifted; nonetheless, the Beluga sturgeon population from this region is still in decline. Khavyar’s Beluga caviar, however, is sustainably farmed in Italy, and is therefore not affected by import bans as it does not contribute to the overfishing of wild Beluga sturgeon.

Beluga sturgeon caviar is best served simply— because of the extremely fine, prized taste of Beluga caviar, it is imperative that garnishes and condiments not overshadow the nuanced flavor. Beluga caviar should be eaten directly from a mother-of-pearl spoon, or on toast points— whereas lesser qualities of caviar may be garnished with chopped eggs or minced onions, Beluga caviar needs little else in order to shine. In fact, adding extraneous elements is often to the detriment of such a luxurious delicacy.