Even though its name gives the impression that it comes from the pristine environment of the Himalayas, Himalayan salt is sourced hundreds of kilometers away from this mountain range - to be precise, from salt mines in the Salt Range, a hill system in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains in Pakistan.

Primarily sourced from the Khewra Salt Mine in Punjab, Pakistan, the gourmet rock salt is gathered from orange pink-colored rock crystals (sometimes off-white or transparent crystals) that have been extracted from ancient salt deposits estimated to be nearly 800 million years old. 

Kala namak is volcanic rock salt originating from the Himalayan region, mostly from the mines in Northern India and Pakistan. It starts as Himalayan pink salt, and it's then heated to very high temperatures and mixed with herbs and spices such as amla (Indian gooseberry) seeds and haritaki fruit seeds.

Both the seeds' sulfur and trace impurities of iron, sulfides, sulfates, and magnesium contribute to the unique color, aroma, and flavor of kala namak. The color isn't actually black – it's a very dark red when added to food or light pink when ground. 

Persian blue salt is one of the rarest salts in the world, renowned for its striking blue color, which is due to the presence of magnesium. This salt has formed over thousands of years in areas once covered by oceans, resulting in a pure and unpolluted product.

Mainly produced in the Semnan province of Iran, Persian blue salt is used in high-end restaurants globally as a finishing touch because of its unique taste, slightly sweet and delicate flavor, and visual appeal. Health-wise, it contains important nutrients like potassium, calcium, and iron, alongside sodium and magnesium, offering various benefits such as reducing blood pressure, supporting cardiovascular health, and aiding muscle and bone strength.

Jugyeom, also known as bamboo salt, is a unique form of salt traditional to Korea, made by packing sea salt into bamboo canisters, sealing them with yellow clay, and then roasting the canisters in a pine fire multiple times. This process is repeated up to nine times, with the final roasting reaching temperatures above 1,000°C.

The repeated baking is said to purify the salt and enhance it with minerals from the bamboo and clay, giving it a distinctive flavor known as Gamrojung. Well-baked bamboo salt that reaches a temperature above 1,500°C develops a unique purple color and is known as purple bamboo salt, which is considered to be of the highest quality. 

Anatolian rock salt, also known as Çankırı salt, is a type of salt that comes from underground salt deposits near the Turkish town of Çankırı. It is extracted from what is described as a 500-million-year-old mine, and the salt is all-natural, totally unrefined, and free from any added anti-caking agents.

Anatolian rock salt is characterized by its white translucent appearance. The presence of 84 trace minerals in Anatolian rock salt, which are also found in the human body, makes it particularly valuable and sought after for various uses, including culinary and health applications.​

Garam Amed Bali is hand-harvested, unrefined, and free from additives sea salt from Amed on the Indonesian island of Bali. Garam Amed Bali consists of cube and tetragonal-shaped crystals and is white, shiny, and savory with a unique old wood fragrance.

It is unrefined, unwashed, and additive-free, characterized by a crunchy and crispy texture. Bunga Garam Amed Bali features light and fine salt flakes that dissolve easily, ideal for use as table salt. Both salts have a strong saltiness without bitterness and share a similar mineral composition, including high sodium chloride content and trace minerals like copper and magnesium.

Kampot sea salt is a type of sea salt that is extracted from seawater through evaporation ponds in the coastal regions of Kampot and Kep provinces in Cambodia. These salt farms span approximately 4,748 hectares of land and are managed by around 200 families who are part of the Kampot-Kep Salt Association.

The salt pans are located along the river at the town's outskirts, where large warehouses store the equipment and protect the harvested salt from the elements. The salt is produced using an evaporation technique where, each year in December, seawater is allowed to flow into salt fields. 

Ilocano asin is a type of sea salt that originates from the pure seawaters of Pangasinan in the Philippines. It is a moist, naturally white sea salt that offers bright, clean, and crisp flavors and is enhanced by the presence of underlying minerals, which contribute to a complex and well-balanced taste.

The salt's texture is a unique combination of granular (sal gris) and flake (fleur de sel) crystals, providing a distinct texture that melts quickly on the palate, giving an instantaneous taste. The salt crystals from Pangasinan are hand-harvested and are known for their lush, almost billowy quality, which is likened to an exaggerated version of fleur de sel. 

Asín tibuok is a rare and traditional Filipino artisanal sea salt produced by the Boholano people. The appearance of asín tibuok is quite unique, often compared to a dinosaur egg due to its shape and texture. The method used for its preservation and creation dates back to before the Spanish Colonization of the Philippines over 500 years ago​.

The seawater is filtered through ashes, which gives it a distinctive flavor profile that is sharp, earthy, and has mild smoky undertones. Asinderos, or the group of salt makers, recognize that the asín tibuok is ready when the clay pot used in the production cracks to reveal the round bottom of the salt, which at this point, has solidified and filled the pot.