Short answer: A saffron grade tells you which part of the thread you are buying and how it was cut. The top grades – Super Negin, Negin and Sargol in Iran and Afghanistan, Mongra in Kashmir and Coupé in Spain – are all-red stigma tips with no yellow end. Middle grades such as Pushal, Lachha and Mancha keep a little of the pale style. Bunch is the whole thread tied together. The simple rule everywhere: more red, less yellow, higher grade.
What is a saffron thread?
Each saffron crocus flower (Crocus sativus) has three red stigmas joined to a thin, pale yellow-white style. The red stigma carries the colour, aroma and flavour; the style carries very little. Every flower is picked and separated by hand – read why saffron is so expensive. Grading is mostly about how much of the style is removed and how carefully the threads are cut.
Iranian and Afghan grade names
- Super Negin: the longest, thickest all-red threads, neatly cut and kept separate. Rare and the most expensive.
- Negin: long, thick, all-red threads with almost no style.
- Sargol ("top of the flower"): all-red tips only; shorter threads, sometimes with a few broken pieces.
- Pushal: red stigma with a short piece of the yellow style still attached.
- Bunch (Dasteh): the whole stigma and style, dried and tied together in a small bundle.
- Konj: the style only – very little colour or aroma.
Kashmiri grade names
In Kashmir, traditional names are used. Mongra is the top grade: red stigma tips only. Lachha keeps part of the style attached to the stigma, similar to Pushal.
Spanish grade names
Spain uses Coupé for all-red threads with no style, Mancha for red threads with a little style, and Río and Sierra for lower grades with more style. Note that "Azafrán de La Mancha" is also a protected name for saffron grown in that Spanish region – that is about origin, not the cut.
Grade names at a glance
| Level | Iran / Afghanistan | Kashmir | Spain | What you see |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All red (top) | Super Negin, Negin, Sargol | Mongra | Coupé | Only red threads |
| Red + a little style | Pushal | Lachha | Mancha | Red with a short pale end |
| Whole thread | Bunch (Dasteh) | – | – | Red and yellow tied together |
| Lower | Konj | – | Río, Sierra | Much more yellow or white |
Grade name vs lab category
Grade names describe the cut. Laboratories can also test saffron under the international standard ISO 3632, which measures colour strength, bitterness and aroma (from natural compounds called crocin, picrocrocin and safranal) and sorts saffron into categories. Even a top grade loses aroma if it is stored badly, so freshness matters as much as the label.
How to choose
- For the most colour and aroma per gram: pick an all-red grade – a few threads go a long way in machboos, karak and desserts. See how to use saffron.
- For everyday cooking on a budget: Pushal or Lachha works well; just use a few more threads.
- Always check: deep red colour, dry threads, a strong honey-and-hay aroma and a slow golden colour in water. Learn the signs in real vs fake saffron.
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Frequently asked questions
Which saffron grade is the best?
All-red grades – Super Negin, Negin, Sargol, Mongra and Coupé – give the most colour and aroma per gram. Freshness and good storage matter too.
Is Afghan saffron graded the same way as Iranian saffron?
Yes. Afghan saffron is usually sold with the same grade names, such as Negin, Sargol and Pushal.
Why is Pushal cheaper than Negin?
Pushal keeps a short piece of the pale style, which adds weight but very little colour or aroma, so you need a little more of it.
Safi Brothers Trading is a Qatar company (CR No. 203876) from a family that has been in the honey business since 1985. Our honey comes from Kashmir, Pakistan. Shop online or visit us at Ezdan Oasis, Al Wukair.
