Director's Choice

During my upbringing in the caviar industry, I had the privilege of savouring a wide range of wild caviar. The majority of wild caviar that arrived from Astrakhan, packed in large 1KG tins, was Imperial Gold, as Beluga was considerably rarer. However, when bans on wild caviar were enforced, we were faced with the challenge of finding a suitable substitute.

Sadly, many of the farmed caviar options available at that time fell short of expectations. They were too young, with small and mushy roe. Some caviar farms hastily rushed their production, resulting in subpar quality. I'm sure many of you caviar enthusiasts can recall this period around 2005.

But then, out of nowhere, there was a buzz surrounding an extraordinary Imperial Gold Caviar from China. Initially, we were sceptical, but upon opening the first tin, I was astounded. It was precisely what we had been longing for! The roe was large, firm, and boasted a delightful marbled texture, along with the same exquisite taste.

Fast forward 20 years, and the caviar farm known as Kaluga Queen has emerged as a dominant force in the industry. The consistent production and nostalgic flavour of their Imperial Gold has firmly established it as my ultimate favourite.