A Taste Born
of the Sea
In 1772, a Greek captain received a commission from Catherine the Great that would change the world of caviar forever.
About Us
There is a silence beneath the surface of the Caspian Sea where the sturgeon has lived for two hundred million years. Longer than empires. Longer than memory. It was there, in that silence, that caviar was born.
Maison 1772 is a caviar house built on fifteen years of immersion in every stage of the caviar craft. Our founders have walked the farms, graded the harvest, negotiated the trade routes, and developed the relationships that make a caviar brand legitimate. The brand is new. The knowledge behind it is not.
We are producers first. We raise our own sturgeon and harvest caviar from our own facilities, controlling every variable from water quality to the moment the eggs are salted and tinned. For species we do not produce ourselves, we trade directly with trusted farms, never through brokers or auctions. Learn about our partnerships.
Our caviar is available throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and can be exported globally on request. Every shipment carries full CITES documentation and traceability records from the farm of origin to the destination market. Check our availability by region.
The Commission
Ioannis Varvakis was born on the Greek island of Psara, where the Aegean taught him to read the wind before he could read words. A skilled sailor by seventeen, he built the ship St. Andrew with his own hands and offered her, with his crew, to the Russian forces during the Russo-Turkish War.
At the Battle of Chesma in 1770, he set his own vessel ablaze and steered her into the heart of the enemy fleet. Fire met timber. The night sea turned to copper. His courage reached the throne of Catherine the Great, who summoned him to Saint Petersburg.
On October 21, 1772, she signed his commission as first lieutenant of the Russian Navy. With it came a gift that would reshape the world: unlimited, duty-free fishing rights across the Caspian Sea. The sturgeon's domain was now his.
The Caspian
With no fishing experience, Varvakis traveled to Astrakhan, where the Volga spills into the Caspian and the sturgeon come to spawn. He built a fishery from nothing. By 1788, his enterprise employed over three thousand workers.
The prehistoric sturgeon, armoured and ancient, older than the dinosaurs, yielded the black pearls that would become his fortune. Each fish carried within it a harvest that had no equal.
The Invention
Caviar had been stored in caves, spoilage a constant threat. Varvakis invented a method to preserve the eggs during long transport: waterproof timber boxes that kept the caviar in perfect condition for months.
He shipped it from Astrakhan to Greece by camel and by boat along the Volga. The route was long, the journey dangerous, but the caviar arrived intact. The modern caviar trade was born.
The Quality
Quality in caviar is not an accident. It is the result of decisions made long before the first egg is harvested, from the water the sturgeon swims in to the salt that cures the roe. Every step matters. We do not skip steps.
Malossol
The word means "little salt" in Russian, and it is the gold standard of caviar preparation. We cure our caviar with no more than five percent salt, preserving the delicate flavour of the eggs without masking it. Too much salt hides imperfection. Too little invites spoilage. The balance is everything.
Our malossol caviar is graded by hand. Colour, texture, size, firmness, and aroma are assessed individually for every batch. Only caviar that meets our standard carries the Maison 1772 seal. Everything else stays at the facility.
The Species
We work with several sturgeon species, each yielding caviar with a distinct character: Beluga for its large, soft pearls and buttery finish; Oscietra for its nutty, golden warmth; Baerii for its small, dark grains and clean, earthy depth. We also produce two rare hybrids: Dauricus x Schrenckii, combining the size and richness of kaluga with the clean finish of Amur sturgeon, and Baerii x Schrenckii, a cross that yields dark, firm pearls with a uniquely balanced flavour. Each species demands a different approach to harvest and cure. Compare all species.
Whether produced in our own facilities or sourced from a trusted partner farm, every batch is selected by our team in person. We do not buy caviar we have not tasted.
Cold Chain Integrity
From harvest to delivery, our caviar never leaves the cold chain. Temperature is monitored and logged at every transfer point to preserve freshness and flavour.
Hand Packed
Every tin is packed by hand. We do not automate the final step, because the final step is where care is most visible. Each tin is weighed, sealed, and labelled individually.
Shelf Freshness
Our caviar is packed to order, not stockpiled. We harvest and tin based on demand, so what arrives at your door is as fresh as the supply chain allows.
The quality of our caviar begins long before harvest. It begins with the water, the feed, the temperature, and the patience to let the sturgeon mature at its own pace. We do not rush what nature intends to take its time.
Every tin we seal carries the promise that what is inside has been produced, sourced, graded, and packed by people who understand caviar not as a commodity, but as a craft. The brand is new. The standard is not.
Our Expertise
The brand is young. The knowledge is not. Our founders bring over fifteen years of hands-on experience in sturgeon aquaculture, caviar grading, and international trade. Maison 1772 is the vessel for that knowledge, built to honour the past while serving the present.
We understand caviar at every level: the biology of the sturgeon, the chemistry of the cure, the logistics of cold-chain transport, and the regulations that govern legal trade. This is not a marketing story. It is the daily reality of our work. Read our FAQ.
We raise our own sturgeon and harvest caviar from our facilities, controlling every stage from water quality to final grading. Our team brings years of hands-on knowledge in sturgeon husbandry, malossol preparation, and the delicate art of knowing exactly when the eggs are ready.
Producing caviar is not a process that can be rushed. A sturgeon may take seven to twenty years to reach maturity. We invest that time because the quality of the harvest depends on it.
For species we do not produce ourselves, we source directly from trusted farms across the Caspian and Black Sea regions. Every partnership is vetted personally. We import no caviar whose journey we cannot trace to the water it came from.
Our trading network spans continents. We supply caviar to clients throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and we can export globally to any market where CITES-compliant import is permitted.
Fully Traceable
Every batch carries documentation from origin to delivery. We track each harvest back to the farm, the species, and the year, so our clients know exactly what they are tasting and where it came from.
Legally Sourced
All our caviar complies with CITES regulations and international trade law. We hold the permits and certifications required for legal import and export in every market we serve. No exceptions, no shortcuts.
Heritage Bound
We honour the legacy of Ioannis Varvakis, who built the first modern caviar trade in 1772. His respect for the sturgeon and the sea guides every decision we make, from farm to tin.
Global Availability
Our caviar travels further than Varvakis ever imagined. From the Caspian coast to your table, we maintain cold-chain integrity and full documentation at every border crossing.
We currently serve clients across three primary markets and accept export requests worldwide.
Europe
Full distribution across the EU and EEA with CITES-compliant import documentation.
United Kingdom
Direct supply with all post-Brexit import certifications in place.
United States
FDA-registered import pathway with full CITES and U.S. Wildlife Service documentation.
Global Export
Available to any market where legal CITES-compliant import is permitted. Contact us to discuss your destination.
The Species
Each species of sturgeon produces caviar with its own character, colour, and flavour profile. This table is a guide to the varieties we produce and trade.
Beluga
Huso Huso
Oscietra
Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii
Baerii
Acipenser Baerii
Beluga
Huso Huso
Oscietra
Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii
Dauricus
Huso Dauricus
Dauricus x Schrenckii
Kaluga x Amur Hybrid
Baerii
Acipenser Baerii
Baerii x Schrenckii
Siberian x Amur Hybrid
What Sets Us Apart
In a market crowded with resellers and rebranded imports, we are producers first. The difference is measurable at every stage, from the water to the tin.
Our caviar is available throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and can be exported globally on request. Wherever you are, we can reach you.
Producers, Not Middlemen
We raise our own sturgeon. Most brands in this market are trading houses that buy caviar from the same few farms and rebrand it. When you buy from Maison 1772, you are buying from the source.
Direct Farm Sourcing
For species we do not produce, we import directly from the farm. No auctions, no brokers, no third-party traders. We know the people who raise the fish, and they know us.
Fifteen Years Behind the Brand
Maison 1772 is a young brand, but our founders have spent fifteen years inside the caviar industry. That means fifteen years of relationships with farms, fifteen years of grading expertise, fifteen years of knowing what separates exceptional caviar from merely good.
CITES Compliant, Fully Documented
Every tin carries CITES documentation. We do not trade in grey-market caviar, and we do not source from operations that cannot prove legal origin. Our clients receive full traceability with every order.
Respect for the Sturgeon
The sturgeon is a prehistoric creature that has survived for two hundred million years. We treat it with the reverence it deserves. Our aquaculture practices prioritise the health of the fish, because healthy fish produce exceptional caviar.
We are not selling caviar. We are selling the knowledge of what caviar should be.
The Pairing Guide
Caviar does not stand alone. It is completed by what surrounds it: the drink that cleanses the palate, the base that carries it, the temperature that shapes its expression.
These are the pairings we trust, refined over fifteen years of tasting.
Sparkling Wine
A dry, mineral sparkling wine. Its acidity and freshness cut through the richness of Beluga and Oscietra, creating an elegant balance at the table.
Vodka
Ice-cold, neutral, Russian or Polish. Vodka cleanses the palate between bites, allowing each spoonful of caviar to taste as vivid as the first. The traditional pairing for a reason.
Dry White Wine
A Chablis Premier Cru or Sancerre. The flint and citrus notes complement Baerii and the hybrid species, whose earthy depth benefits from a brighter, more acidic companion.
Blinis & Creme Fraiche
The classic base. Warm mini blinis topped with a dollop of cold creme fraiche, then the caviar. The mild, slightly tangy foundation lets the flavour of the eggs shine without competition.
Potato & Chives
Thin slices of warm boiled potato, a sprinkle of fresh chives, a brush of butter, then caviar. A rustic Russian preparation that contrasts texture and temperature beautifully.
Serve caviar cold. Keep the tin on ice. Use a mother-of-pearl spoon. Never metal.
Legacy
"We did not invent caviar. We inherited the responsibility for it."
Maison 1772 is more than a brand. It is a promise to carry forward what Varvakis began: a respect for the sturgeon, a devotion to quality, and an obligation to deliver caviar that is honest, traceable, and legal. Every tin we seal is a continuation of that story, not a repetition of it.
We believe that caviar is not merely a product. It is a legacy of the sea, a gift from a creature older than history itself. To trade in it is a privilege, and we treat it as one.
Maison 1772 · Producer, Trader, Guardian
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
+What is Maison 1772 Caviar?
Maison 1772 Caviar is a caviar house built on fifteen years of industry expertise. The brand sources caviar directly from two partner farms, one in Greece and one in PRC, eliminating all middlemen. Every shipment is CITES-compliant and fully traceable from the farm of origin to the destination market.
+Where does Maison 1772 source its caviar?
Maison 1772 sources caviar directly from two trusted partner farms: one in Greece and one in PRC. The brand does not own farms but partners with them, vetting every partnership personally over years of trust. No middlemen, auctions, or third-party traders are involved.
+What sturgeon species does Maison 1772 offer?
Maison 1772 offers five species: Beluga (Huso Huso) for its large, soft pearls and buttery finish; Oscietra (Acipenser Gueldenstaedtii) for its nutty, golden warmth; Baerii (Acipenser Baerii) for its small, dark grains and clean, earthy depth; Dauricus x Schrenckii, a hybrid combining the size of kaluga with the finish of Amur sturgeon; and Baerii x Schrenckii, a hybrid yielding dark, firm pearls with a balanced flavour.
+Is Maison 1772 caviar CITES compliant?
Yes. All caviar from Maison 1772 complies with CITES regulations and international trade law. The brand holds the permits and certifications required for legal import and export in every market it serves. Every tin carries CITES documentation and full traceability records from the farm of origin to delivery.
+Where can I buy Maison 1772 caviar?
Maison 1772 caviar is available throughout Europe (EU and EEA), the United Kingdom, and the United States. The brand also accepts export requests globally to any market where CITES-compliant import is permitted. Contact info@1772caviar.com for private orders, corporate gifting, and connoisseur inquiries.
+What does malossol caviar mean?
Malossol means 'little salt' in Russian and is the gold standard of caviar preparation. Maison 1772 cures its caviar with no more than five percent salt, preserving the delicate flavour of the eggs without masking it. Too much salt hides imperfection; too little invites spoilage. The balance is everything.
+Who was Ioannis Varvakis?
Ioannis Varvakis (1745-1825) was a Greek captain who received a naval commission from Catherine the Great on October 21, 1772, granting him unlimited, duty-free fishing rights across the Caspian Sea. He built a fishery in Astrakhan, invented waterproof timber boxes to preserve caviar during transport, and established the modern caviar trade. Maison 1772 is named after his commission year.
In Their Words
“The Baerii from Maison 1772 is the cleanest I have tasted in years. The traceability gives me confidence to put it on my menu.”
Executive Chef
Michelin-starred restaurant, Paris
“Their Huso Dauricus hybrid is remarkable. It has the presence of Beluga but with a cleaner, more defined finish. Exceptional.”
Head Sommelier
Luxury hotel, London
“Maison 1772 is the only supplier I trust for caviar that is fully documented from farm to table. No grey market, no compromises.”
Procurement Director
Fine food distributor, USA
Trusted by chefs, sommeliers, and distributors across Europe, the UK, and the USA.
Enquire
For private orders, corporate gifting, and connoisseur inquiries, our atelier responds to each request personally.
We ship throughout Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and accept export requests for any market where CITES-compliant import is permitted.
info@1772caviar.com
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