Discover the Top 5 Most Expensive Types of Caviar in 2024

Written by Niccoy Walker
Updated: June 21, 2023
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There is no doubt that caviar is among the highest delicacies in the world. This expensive and labor-intensive treat was well-known to Russian fishermen as far back as 1240 AD. By the sixteenth century, European royals were enthralled with this fine food, and it became a delicacy.

Today, caviar is a snack for the wealthy. Although some types of caviar are affordable enough for everyday people to eat, the caviar on this list is for those who don’t mind spending a full college tuition on a tin of fish eggs.

Discover the top five most expensive types of caviar in 2024 and learn why they come with such a hefty price tag.

The harvesting process for Strottarga Bianco can take up to a decade.

What is Caviar, and Why is it So Expensive?

Caviar is the salt-cured roe from sturgeon fish. Roe is the ripe egg mass inside a fish’s ovary. Caviar is specifically the unfertilized eggs of wild sturgeon living in the Caspian and Black Seas, such as Beluga, Ossetra, and Sevruga

This fish delicacy is mild, slightly fishy, and salty. The expensive kind has a richer, buttery flavor. Other than a better taste, caviar is primarily expensive due to several things, like demand, the rarity of the fish, and how much labor went into producing it.

You can eat caviar by itself, but most people use it for toppings or garnishing for tea sandwiches, poached fish, or vegetables. You can also simply eat it on unsalted crackers or bread topped with creme fraiche.

Check out the five most expensive types of caviar in 2024. Prices are based on one-kilogram tins.

5. Sevruga Classic Grey – $5,240

gray caviar

Sevruga has a smooth, intense flavor.

©Michael P. D’Arco/Shutterstock.com

This caviar is harvested from Sevruga, hence the name. Sevruga is one of the smallest members of the sturgeon family, and farmers raise it in the Caspian Sea. This caviar has an intense, smooth flavor and a long sea spray aftertaste. These eggs are small, pearly, and pale gray. The lowest price point is $155 for 28 grams. And it tops out at $5,240 for one kilogram standard-sized tin.

4. Russian Volga Reserve Ossetra – $5,900

ossetra caviar

Ossetra caviar is aged 35 years before harvesting.

©Josef Stemeseder/Shutterstock.com

Fishlings of the Ossetra sturgeon are found in the Caspian Sea, transferred to aqua farms, and aged 35 years or older before being harvested. The roe is salted using traditional Russian methods and is famous for its light saltiness and creamy texture. Due to the sturgeon’s older age, this caviar is larger and bursting with more flavor. $590 will get you two ounces of this rare treat. Or you can spend $5,900 for one kilogram.

3. Tsar Nicoulai Golden Reserve – $6,000

golden caviar

Golden Reserve caviar is harvested from the white sturgeon in California.

©yulya_talerenok/Shutterstock.com

Farmed in the United States, Golden Reserve caviar comes from California white sturgeon. Populations of this largest of freshwater fish in North America are dwindling, and there is increasing demand for their roe. This caviar features a golden hue and large beads, with a buttery finish. The smallest size is a half-ounce jar for $120. For a one-kilogram tin, you can expect to spend $6,000. 

2. Iranian Almas – $35,000

Iranian caviar

This caviar is harvested from the rare Iranian albino huso huso sturgeon.

©Negro Elkha/Shutterstock.com

Iranian Almas is one of the rarest, most expensive caviars in the world. Almas caviar is exclusively from the Iranian albino huso huso sturgeon and is only gathered from the wild in the cleanest and purest parts of the Caspian Sea. The eggs are a golden-white color with a very distinct nutty, buttery, creamy, and salty flavor. Unlike other caviars that move wild sturgeon to farms, Iranian alma only uses mature sturgeons from their natural environment. It is the closest you will get to eating caviar the way Alexander the Great did. For this, it comes at a hefty price. You will need to submit a price request for the most accurate number. But you can expect to spend no less than $35,000 for one kilogram.

1. Strottarga Bianco – $113,630

albino caviar

The incredibly pricey Strottarga Bianco caviar is over $113,000 for a one-kilogram tin.

©Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock.com

Strottarga Bianco is not only the most expensive caviar but the most expensive food in the world. You could buy a brand-new Porsche for less than one kilogram of this ultra-rare caviar. A small family business has a tiny aqua farm in Salzburg, Austria, where they harvest roe from the Siberian albino sturgeon. After harvesting, they dehydrate the pearls and sprinkle a thin layer of edible 22-karat gold on top.

Obviously, the gold leaf ups the price. However, the harvesting process can take up to a decade. Due to the dehydration process, five kilograms are needed to produce one kilogram of the final product. The taste is very strong, like fresh fish. It has a creamy, yet powdery texture, and you can spread it or make it into a paste. Many people make it into risotto or eat it with bread. As of now, the going price for a one-kilogram tin of Strottarga Bianco is $113,630.

Summary Of The 5 Most Expensive Types of Caviar in 2024

RankCaviarPrice
1.Strottarga Bianco$113,630
2.Iranian Almas$35,000
3.Tsar Nicoulai Golden Reserve$6,000
4.Russian Volga Reserve Ossetra$5,900
5.Sevruga Classic Grey$5,240

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Negro Elkha/Shutterstock.com


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About the Author

Niccoy is a professional writer for A-Z Animals, and her primary focus is on birds, travel, and interesting facts of all kinds. Niccoy has been writing and researching about travel, nature, wildlife, and business for several years and holds a business degree from Metropolitan State University in Denver. A resident of Florida, Niccoy enjoys hiking, cooking, reading, and spending time at the beach.

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