Buy Spanish Saffron Online - Zaran Saffron

Buy Spanish Saffron Online

The Saffron Crocus does well in dry climates when exposed to hot sun. It also thrives in soil that is well dried. Iran has these soil and climatic conditions and it is therefore not a surprise that the country is the largest producer of saffron in the world. Afghan saffron and Spanish saffron are the two most sought after strain of Saffron sought after in the entire world. However, of all the Saffron produced, Spanish and Afghan saffron account for only 4%.

If you want to get quality Saffron, you have to consider the country of origin so as to minimize the risk of buying Saffron that is adulterated. Zaran Saffron has the highest quality of Spanish Saffron for distribution.  For you to understand the quality of Saffron, you must first familiarize yourself with the different types of Saffron in the market.

Although reports indicate that Iran is the largest saffron producer in the world, there is a misconception that most saffron comes from Spain. That is why some dishonest traders buy Iranian saffron and label it as Spanish Saffron so that they can make more money.

Coupe Vs La Mancha Saffron

Spanish saffron is high quality but strictly regulated and therefore not widely accessible. It comes in different grades. When buying Spanish Saffron look out for the following terms:

1. Coupe Saffron   (All-Red, Medium length threads with no yellow style) Highest quality Spanish Saffron. Very high in aroma, flavor and color. Most similar to the Persian “Sargol” saffron.
2. La Mancha Saffron  (Long threads with yellow and orange style) This is the most expensive type of saffron due to its low production volume and high customer demand. Real La Mancha Saffron is one of the most rare types of Saffron on the market.
3. Selected  (Persian Saffron that’s been rebranded) Selected saffron is Saffron that’s been imported and rebranded as “Selected Spanish Saffron.” When dealing with this type of saffron you’re usually working with middle-men and third party sources which drive the price up higher.

 

What is the Highest Quality Spanish Saffron?

The Coupe variety is the highest quality of Spanish Saffron. Coupe saffron is all red and uniform in color with little to no yellow style threads. This type of Spanish saffron contains large amounts of crocin (color), picocrocin (flavor), and safranal (aroma).  In comparison to the other types of saffron, the Spanish coupe saffron is among on the highest in terms of quality.

Another popular type of Spanish Saffron is the La Mancha. This type of saffron is very similar to the Persian “Pushal” saffron because it also has a lot of yellow style. Although saffron from La Mancha may not yield a higher potency than Coupe, it’s still the most expensive type of Spanish Saffron. A single kilo of La Mancha Saffron saffron can go anywhere from $3,000- $4,000 USD, which is twice as much as any other variety.

The reason Spanish La Mancha Saffron is so expensive is because there is only a limited amount of this type of saffron in circulation, combined with increased global demand, and higher labor costs than neighboring countries. If you do opt-in for the more expensive La Mancha saffron, be sure to get a Certificate of Origin and a Denomination of Protected Origin. Spain highly regulates its prizes La Mancha Saffron and limits the total amount available for export. The La Mancha saffron is also susceptible to many fraudulent dealers because the quality of Persian “Pushali” saffron is so similar, this makes repackaging and relabeling a huge market for third party sellers looking to make a quick profit.

When buying Spanish saffron online, make sure you understand the differences between the different types of saffron and how to distinguish real saffron from the fake. We recommend being very skeptical of saffron deals that seem to good to be true, very cheap saffron is most likely adulterated with chemicals and fillers. Fraudulent sellers pray on the uninformed consumer, as its easy for them to sell an inferior product which essentially has no culinary or medicinal benefits. The saffron industry has a standard pricing when it comes to wholesale, these rates are understood among major distributors. If you find saffron that seems to be priced much lower than competitor brands, we recommend you ask for a lab analysis and a certificate of origin.

How to Test Saffron

Why Saffron Is Popular In Spain

Saffron is one of the most widely used spices in Spain. It is the most expensive in the world and used in a wide array of Spanish dishes. The most popular dish the spice is used in is the rice Pilaf or Spanish Pilau. It is also used in other popular Spanish dishes such as Mexican yellow rice, Spanish Paella, and Italian risotto. A good number of fish dishes including bouillabaisse are cooked with Spanish saffron as well.

Where To Buy Spanish Saffron Online

Zaran Saffron is committed to sourcing the best Spanish saffron on the market. When you buy your Spanish saffron online from Zaran Saffron, you will get a copy of our most recent lab analysis to confirm quality. In addition, we back our product 100%. If you're unhappy with your order for any reason, reach out to us and we’ll gladly refund it for you.