The Hamburg grades are named after the European port that historically took the wider quills. H1 is the first of them, noticeably heavier in the hand than the Continental grades above it.
The flavour is deeper and more resinous, and it lasts. This is the grade for cooking that is measured in hours rather than minutes, and for recipes that call for three or four sticks rather than one.
The economics matter here. When a batch of biryani or a stock pot needs several quills, the difference between H1 and Alba is the difference between a spice you use freely and one you ration.
Same species, same district, same process. Only the diameter of the roll changes.
