Starting your morning with a cup of aromatic and invigorating drink, have you ever wondered how the most expensive coffee grows and is produced? It is enough to go to any supermarket to see a huge assortment of this product. But in a simple store it is problematic to purchase truly elite varieties. To do this, you will need to visit specialized departments or contact the supplier company directly.
If you want to try the most expensive coffee and decide to start searching for this drink, you will need to know the ten elite varieties included in the top ten and their features.
In first place is a special variety called “Kopi Luwak”. The supplier of this coffee is Indonesia. Huge plantations are located in Java and Sumatra. The main difference between this variety and all others is the rather exotic method of its production.
The most expensive coffee in the world is the excrement of a small civet animal. Colonies of these animals live near the plantations and feed on ripe berries. In the stomach of the animals, all parts of the berry are processed, except for the hard coffee bean, which comes out naturally. The excrement is collected, thoroughly washed with water, dried and lightly fried.
An honorable third place is occupied by a drink made from beans of the St. Helena Coffee variety. It costs $79 per pound. Coffee plantations are located on St. Helena Island. This variety gained great popularity due to historical events associated with the exile of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Fourth place in the “Most Expensive Coffee” list is rightfully occupied by the “El Injerto” variety. It is native to the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala. This drink is one of the most favorite drinks in the world. In fifth place is a brand called "Fazenda Santa Ines", whose homeland is a place called Minas Gerais in Brazil. This variety received first place in the Quality Cup competition held in Brazil in 2006. Either of these two varieties can be purchased for as little as $50 per pound.
In sixth place is the most beloved coffee in Japan called “Blue Mountain”. It is grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Coffee beans collected on these plantations are distinguished by their low bitterness content and a particularly mild taste. It is for these qualities that the Japanese love him so much. Up to 80 percent of the total harvest of this variety is exported to the Islands of the Rising Sun. One pound of Blue Mountain costs $49.
The seventh place in the rating list is given to a drink under the Los Plains Coffee brand. The grains that received such a poetic name grow on the sunny plantations of El Salvador. This variety took an honorable second place in the Quality Cup competition held in Brazil in 2006. Out of a hundred possible points, this coffee received 93.52 points according to the jury. One pound of this variety of beans costs $40.
Next on the Most Expensive Coffee list is a variety called Hawaiian Kona Coffee. Its homeland is the Big Island of Hawaii. Famous plantations are located in the northern and southern region on the slopes of the Mauna Loa and Hualalai mountains. This variety is considered the most sought after throughout the world and costs $34 per pound.
The ninth place is rightfully occupied by a variety called “Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon”. This one was opened by Starbucks in 2004 during a visit to a place called Rwanda. From now on, farmers living in the area are exclusively engaged in growing this variety of coffee beans. Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon costs $24 per pound.
The last place in the top ten, but which has not become any less prestigious, is occupied by a variety called “Coffee Yauco Selecto AA”. Its homeland is considered to be plantations located in the southwestern region of the Puerto Rico mountain range, in a place called Yauco. A distinctive feature of this variety is its moderate aroma and excellent rich taste. This brand of coffee beans will cost you $24 per pound.
This happened back in the distant colonial times in Indonesia. Then the Dutch, who occupied the territories of what are now the Indonesian islands, prohibited local farmers from drinking coffee from “Dutch plantations.” And Indonesians, by the way, love coffee. We lived with a Balinese family in Ubud, where the owner's wife cooked breakfast for us every morning. So, they always brewed me fresh natural coffee in the morning (not Luwak, of course, but regular coffee :)), not because I asked, but because that’s what is customary. That is, the people in those parts highly respect natural coffee, and this was the case in the old days. When the Dutch prohibited local people from harvesting coffee in their territory, farmers had to look for individual coffee beans on the ground where they could find them. This was the feces of luwak, local martens. Over time, people realized that this type of coffee tastes much better than regular coffee.
Since then, Indonesia, and in particular the island of Bali, has to this day been one of the main supplying regions of this type of coffee. A suitable climate and the distribution of palm martens created excellent conditions for the emergence of Luwak coffee in these parts. And indeed, while driving around the island of Bali on my own on a motorcycle, here and there I noticed signs with the inscription “Kopi Luwak”. There is a particularly large concentration of such farms in the northeast of the island, near the village of Kintamani, as well as along the road that leads to the Pura Besakih temple.
So we were driving to the Batur volcano and along the road we noticed the inscription “Kopi Luwak”. I had already heard a lot about this coffee, and therefore it was incredibly interesting for me to see everything myself. I stopped at the entrance to find out how much a visit costs. It turns out you don't need to pay anything! The entire walk and excursion are free, only a cup of coffee for tasting costs money - 50,000 rupees, i.e. about 5 dollars. Well, quite a reasonable price in my opinion. Here in Russia, in any coffee shop, regular espresso will not be cheaper. So I parked the bike in the shade and went deep into the green thickets.
The entire territory of the farm is cozy green corridors with a wide variety of plants.
Here you can see how various agricultural crops grow - from cocoa to vanillin. Everything is marked with signs, so those especially interested in botany will definitely be interested in how this or that type of plant grows. Yes and to the common man, far from botany, it’s interesting to see a bed of pineapples, for example:) 
I note that my three-year-old child was the first to notice pineapples =) So, even without reading, you will completely recognize the familiar fruits. But for the majority, signs still come in handy, because... a lot of things look like regular grass))
For me, nettle turned out to be more noticeable =) 
Here it is a little different, but the shape of the leaves and the small needles on them give away the stinging plant we are familiar with from childhood.
And, of course, coffee grows here. What would it be like without him? In such cute, almost clusters :) 
Various varieties of coffee are grown here for display to visitors. But only Arabica beans are used to produce Luwak coffee. The fastidious animal does not recognize other varieties. 
Here is that same selective gourmet marten. 
Honestly, I was captivated by this beast. Mordakha is incredibly cute, I just wanted to lovingly rub his fur =)) 
Several furry animals were sitting in a cage. They were planted here again only to show them to visitors. Of course, there can be no talk of any large-scale production. A pair of martens will not cope with the volumes for sale, no matter how much they eat and poop afterwards.
I asked if it was common for musangs to sit in cages like this. To which the employee confidently replied that no, no, only free musangs produce coffee. They say they walk around in the jungle, eating wild coffee, and then people collect their feces. I doubt it very much, because it’s too much human resources to collect these inconspicuous poops (sorry, but you can’t take the words out of the song) among the dense thickets. Moreover, I assumed that there would be some kind of coffee plantations, but it turned out that there were such forests around. 
Where will the animals look for Arabica?
Previously, coffee was indeed obtained in a “wild” way, but now, more often than not, unfortunate martens are put in cages and fattened on the spot. And if in nature these mammals choose only selected Arabica berries, then in the cages they have to eat what they are given. Therefore, today this method of producing Luwak coffee, although it reduces its cost, also reduces its quality. Quite a predictable pattern in my opinion. It seems to me that it would be more logical to plant coffee fields, fence the entire area and let these martens run around there. It seems like they live in the wild and eat the best coffee at their own discretion. It is again easier to collect waste from them, after all, the territory is limited. Why this was not done remains a mystery to me, but apparently there are reasons...
We were allowed to feed the musang. Ripe berries The farm employee attached the coffee to a stick so that the animal would not bite his hands. Both Mishutka and I fed Luwak several fruits =) 
Look how he bends over for a coffee berry =)
As soon as I saw it, my eyes immediately lit up :) 
Well, with what pleasure he crunched the Arabica coffee!! Even I want to, looking at this photo :))) 
The berry really looked ripe and juicy, maybe that’s why there was such a stir, or maybe the tummy was just hungry :(
The animal didn’t get much, only a few berries, but he still wanted some treats =) 
Notice below the red peel of the berry. Luwak spit out the outer shell of the coffee and ate only the bean!
And I have a question: “How do they eat up these grains?” After all, they are not processed in his stomach. They come out, in fact, only in a slightly modified form. 
Yes, that's it. The grain goes in, the grain comes out :) And this coffee gets its unique aroma due to the enzymes that are in gastrointestinal tract palm marten, and with which, naturally, coffee beans are impregnated, getting inside the Arabica eater. Later I found out that martens also do not refuse fruits, and what’s more, they are not vegetarians at all!
The feces found are thoroughly washed, cleaned, and then fried. 
I’m sure you wouldn’t be able to tell it apart from regular coffee by its appearance if you poured this into a jar. Doesn't look like poop at all ;) 
Afterwards, the roasted grains are ground. The old way is in a mortar. 
Mishutka, of course, is trying more to hold the log than to grind it :)))
But he manages to cope well with the next stage - sifting. 
Today, of course, this entire process is automated.
And here, in fact, is the treasured jar of coffee worth several hundred dollars. 
And here the burning question arises: “How to brew Luwak coffee”? Many people ask about this because all the aroma and taste apparently do not come out with standard cooking methods. In Bali, I specially filmed this process, because... it certainly deserves attention. To brew Luwak coffee, the Balinese use this device. 
Water is poured into the flask, coffee is placed on top, and a fire is lit below. 
Then this unit is closed with a glass cube. The water boils over the fire and the steam comes out through a special tube into a bottle with ground coffee. 
Here this water accumulates and this is how Luwak coffee is brewed. Whole alchemy, no less! 
It seems to me that no coffee machines can replace this technology, and the only way that is even remotely similar is to brew it according to the principle of Turkish coffee directly over a fire.
Hooray! Ready!! Well, shall we risk a sip? ;) 
I have repeatedly seen reports from other travelers from similar farms, but none of them fed Luwak, no one saw how coffee is brewed in the traditional way, and no one could distinguish Luwak coffee from regular coffee. Indeed, its taste is practically no different from the average Arabica. But the richness and aroma of this coffee is many times greater than regular coffee! How did I understand this? We were lucky that on this farm they showed us so many things and gave us a chance to try, because we ended up here by chance and how lucky it was!! Because it was here that they didn’t just pour us a cup of coffee for 5 bucks, they gave us a whole tasting table. 
In addition to a cup of Luwak coffee, they also brought us a cup of regular coffee for comparison. Everything is learned by comparison, as you know. And this is exactly how you can fully experience the difference between regular coffee and Luwak coffee. The taste of Luwak, as I already wrote, is richer and more aromatic, but at the same time this coffee is not stronger, i.e. It is not the strength that makes the richness appear.
To be honest, I expected something different. The fact is that my mother brought Luwak coffee from Vietnam. With a photo of the animal on the pack, everything is as it should be :) Many people say that this is Vietnamese Luwak with a sort of chocolate flavor, so they say it’s really exclusive. Indeed, the coffee my mother brought has a chocolate tint. Just a caveat, she would never have paid even hundreds of dollars for this rather large bag of coffee. Then it’s not clear what kind of coffee this is, it’s written something like “Luwak”, but how can elite coffee cost the pennies for which it is sold in Vietnam? The answer probably lies in the now known fact that methods have been developed to artificially flavor coffee with civet. It is the artificial flavoring that is felt in the Vietnamese “chocolate” Luwak!! This explains the price of this coffee there.
In Bali, absolutely no additional flavor tones other than coffee are felt, only a special deep richness. That’s why it was surprising to me, because I had tried this type of coffee before, but the taste was completely different. So from own experience I'm inclined to believe that Vietnamese coffee is fake. Not all of them, probably, because Vietnam is also a supplier of the Luwak variety, but cheap options with artificial flavors have flooded the local market, and this is exactly what they sell to tourists, nothing personal, just business) Remember that Luwak coffee is produced all over the world, only 700 kg per year ! It a priori cannot be cheap! Do not be fooled by attractive prices, this is an indicator of deception and low quality.
I’ll continue about the tasting. In the photo above you can see that there are many cups of drinks in front of Mishutka. That is, in addition to regular coffee and Luwak coffee, we also tried coffee with ginseng, coffee with chocolate, coffee with coconut, coffee with vanilla, tea with ginger, tea with lemon, tea with lemongrass and hibiscus tea. Mmmmm, how delicious everything was! Mishutka and I blew everything =) Except tea with ginger, because it was very tart and even spicy. All herbs are grown here, so they offer you to try everything. 
And a variety of coffee options are already stored in jars. 
After the walk and tasting, we headed out. On the way, we were not persistently offered to look at the coffee in their shop, but I immediately said that there was no money =) The employee did not offer anything else, i.e. There was no goal to sell anything, I also really liked it on this farm. I definitely recommend this place to get acquainted with the production of the Kopi Luwak mine.
The farm is called "Lakshmi". Along the direct route "Ubud - Kintamani" (if you go through Tegallalng), along the street Jl. Raya Tegal Suci, there is such a shield. 
It is worth focusing on it. The goddess Lakshmi is also painted there, and Ganesha (the Hindu god with the head of an elephant) sits almost at the very entrance to the farm.
Up! Due to requests received in PM, I finally decided to mark this farm on the map.
To be honest, I barely found the coordinates; I had to “drive” again along the entire street from Ubud to Kintamani using Google maps. But this is definitely the place, you can ;) I love this service! He has already helped me many times to find places from memory that are not usually marked on maps.
Both my son and I were undoubtedly very interested in visiting this place. Mishutka and I learned so many new and educational things. A three-year-old child now knows how coffee grows! A few weeks later we were on tea plantations in Malaysia, and among the tea bushes Misha found a green berry. “Mami, what? Kofi? - asked the son. And it’s wonderful =) Books or TV will never tell you this about it. And no matter how detailed I write, I still see it with my own eyes in a completely different way. So go ahead and don’t hesitate ;)
Coffee is an aromatic, invigorating drink with a unique chocolate taste, loved by millions. He came to us from Ethiopia, where he acquired his fans 1000 years ago.
IN Ottoman Empire in 1511 coffee was declared a "sacred drink". The brilliant German composer John Sebastian Bach wrote the “Coffee Cantata”, Catherine the Great was a fan of the “black drink”. It was she who first began to use the “coffee scrub,” mixing coffee grounds with soap and cleansing the face and body with the resulting mixture.
Once upon a time, coffee beans were a scarce commodity and were worth their weight in gold. Since the mid-18th century, Europeans have established coffee plantations in many tropical countries - Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Vietnam, India.
And today, real coffee is not a cheap product. For example, the Arabian coffee tree or Arabica bears fruit from which the most expensive varieties of coffee in the world are obtained - from 250 to 500 dollars per kg. Various technologies are used in their production, but the main point is that all actions are performed manually - removing coffee beans from trees, sorting, roasting, packaging. If machines are involved in the process, then the type of coffee immediately drops in price.
But there are several varieties of coffee, the production of which uses exclusive, completely unique technologies, and their price skyrockets. So, what is the most expensive coffee in the world and how is it produced?
"Kopi Luwak"
To purchase 1 kg of this type of coffee, you will have to pay up to $1,500! This drink is rightfully called the most expensive in the world. This is because the technology for its production is unique.
Small animals, musangs, that inhabit the entire southern and Southeast Asia, eat ripe fruits of coffee trees. The grains are not completely digested and are excreted along with animal excrement. People collect musang dung, select undigested coffee beans from it, wash them thoroughly, dry them in the sun, then grind them and sell them for $50 per cup of the finished drink.
It has an extremely soft and pleasant taste, without the usual bitterness of coffee. This is because musangs digest the pulp surrounding the beans, while their gastric juice breaks down some of the proteins that give regular coffee its bitterness. The fermentation process involves civet, a special substance that musangs use to mark their territory. It gives the grains a pleasant musky smell. This is how, with the help of a natural laboratory - the digestive tract of small animals - they get the most expensive coffee on Earth.
It is interesting that if earlier the Kopi Luwak variety was a piece product, now last years in Indonesia, South India and the Philippines its production has been launched. How? Very simple. In these countries, fur farms have been built where musangs are kept. They are fed coffee beans, and then the whole process is repeated. Thus, several hundred kg of coffee of this type began to be produced per year. Of course, this immediately affected the price of the goods, which dropped to $350-400 per kg. Still a lot!
But still, true gourmets prefer to buy Kopi Luwak, produced in natural conditions. The fact is that on fur farms musangs cannot independently choose which grains to eat; they are forced to eat what they are fed. Also, in captivity, animals cannot run or jump, while in freedom they move a lot and instinctively choose the best, ripe coffee beans. All these factors affect the final taste and aroma of the drink.
"Black ivory"
Another variety that claims to be the “Most Expensive Coffee in the World.” And again, animals are involved in its production, but this time – elephants. Its price reaches $1850 per kg!
The technology for producing “Black Tusk” is very painstaking: first, the elephants are fed several tens of kg of Arabica beans mixed with other elephant food - bananas, fruits, grass. For more than a day, the elephant digests everything it eats, while the coffee beans are only partially digested: stomach acid destroys a special protein that is responsible for the bitterness of coffee. The grains undergo a natural fermentation process in the elephant's digestive tract, developing an earthy and fruity aroma.
After this, they leave the body along with feces. Workers collect elephant dung and carefully sort through it with their hands, finding Arabica beans, which they then wash, dry and grind. An excellent drink is brewed from this coffee, which has a delicate taste without bitterness and a light fruity aroma.
“Black ivory” is produced only in Thailand, and you can try it only in 4 hotels in the Maldives and at the Anantara Golden Triangle resort, which is located on the border of 3 countries - Laos, Myanmar and Thailand ( hence the name).
Why is the price of Black Tusk so high? Firstly, due to the special production technology, due to the fact that all actions are performed manually. In addition, in order to get 1 kg of elite coffee beans, the elephant is fed as much as 35 kg! It is clear that the elephant chews some of the grains, some is lost in the grass, and some are damaged too much during digestion. In total, strictly 50 kg of this elite variety goes on sale per year.
It is interesting that a significant part of the funds raised from the sale of “Black Ivory” goes to charitable purposes - treating elephants and helping the families of mahouts.
"Terra Nera"
The cost of this elite type of coffee is simply off the charts - more than $20,000 per 1 kg! “Terra Nera” is the most expensive coffee in the world; so far you can’t find more expensive than this brand on the shelves. And again, the main participants in its production are small animals called palm civets, by the way, they are relatives of the musangs, which are used to obtain the Kopi Luwak coffee variety.
Terra Nera is produced only in one point on the globe - in the southeastern part of the Peruvian Andes, in the homeland of the Quechua Indian tribe. Here, ripe Uchunari Arabica cherries are fed to palm civets. The animals partially digest coffee beans, depriving them of bitterness during natural fermentation and giving them a special taste. These grains are then excreted along with animal excrement. They are carefully sorted, washed, dried, and then ground. Brewed Terra Nera coffee has a very rich aroma of cocoa and hazelnuts and an excellent taste, which gourmet tasters highly appreciate.
This elite variety is produced in limited quantities - only 45 kg per year. You can buy it only in one single store - Harrods in London. It is sold 500 grams in a luxurious bag made of silver paper, which perfectly preserves the aroma of coffee. The packaging is sealed with a special valve and tied with a cord with a gold tag. The tag is engraved with the manufacturer's initials, as well as the degree of roasting of the coffee beans (can be from zero to six degrees). At the buyer's request, his name can be engraved on the tag (this service is included in the price of the product).
What other expensive types of coffee are there?
Other types of coffee are produced in the usual way, that is, without the participation of animals. Therefore, their cost is significantly lower than the 3 varieties of the most expensive coffee in the world listed above.
Esmeralda (original name – Hacienda La Esmeralda) ranks first in price and quality among traditionally produced coffee varieties. It is produced on a farm in Panama (South America), on the slope of Mount Baru, according to a secret recipe. The work is carried out partly manually (collecting, sorting grains), and partly mechanically (drying). The result is an elite variety that combines chocolate, fruit and spicy notes. Hacienda La Esmeralda has been repeatedly recognized as the most exquisite drink in the world, receiving various prizes at International competitions. Its price is up to $400 per 1 kg.
"Saint Helena" or St. Helena Coffee is another elite variety of coffee, which is produced at the same volcanic island V Atlantic Ocean. Its cost reaches $200 per 1 kg. Recognized as one of the most environmentally friendly products in the world.
"El Injerto" - it has been produced in Guatemala (Central America) since the 18th century. The small town of Coban is home to one of the world's most famous coffee plantations. The local climate contributes to the cultivation of very high quality coffee beans, which, combined with a special production technology, makes it possible to obtain a unique variety of coffee worth $150 per 1 kg.
In Brazil, the Fazenda Santa Ines coffee variety is grown, 1 kg of which costs at least $100.
Blue Mountain, which is produced in Jamaica, costs about the same. Almost 85% of this variety is exported to Japan, where it is the most popular drink.
You can name varieties such as Los Planes (El Salvador, Central America) and Kona Coffee (Hawaiian Islands). Their price is around $80 per kg.
The “cheapest” on our list are Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon (Republic of Rwanda in East Africa) and Yauco Selecto AA Coffee (Puerto Rico island in the Caribbean) at a price of only $50 per 1 kg.
More than 2 billion cups of coffee are consumed around the world every day, making it one of the top-selling beverages. This popularity is explained not only by its noble aroma and taste, but also by the many existing ones. The most devoted fans of the drink are ready to spend a lot of money for elite varieties of coffee, not even stopping at spending hundreds of dollars for a few tens of grams of their favorite drink. Below we present the top 10 most expensive coffee varieties.
Top 10 most expensive coffees
Black Ivory Coffee or Black Tusk
A kilogram of Black Ivory coffee costs up to $1,000, and the cost of one serving of a drink made from this type of grain can reach up to $50. “Black Tusk” is produced only in Thailand, and its high price is due to the small amount of coffee produced and the cost of maintaining elephants, with the participation of which the coffee beans are processed. The fruits with the coffee beans they contain are fed to elephants; in their digestive tract, the grains are exposed to enzymes, due to which the coffee from such beans gets a soft taste, with light fruity tones.
After entering the elephant's stomach, the grains are digested along with the food that the animal is fed - bananas, sugar cane, fruits. Undigested grains come out naturally, they are collected and sent for further processing. To obtain 1 kg of Black Ivory variety, an elephant must eat almost 35 kg of coffee beans mixed with fruit.
Kopi luwak coffee
Kopi Luwak is the second most expensive product, also due to the small amount of product produced (approximately 500 kg per year) and the participation of animals in the processing process. Only here there is not a Thai elephant, but a musang animal, which is also called luwak. The habitat of the musang is Indonesia, the Philippines and southern India. Accordingly, kopi luwak is produced in these regions. The eaten grains are fermented by the animals' gastric secretions, resulting in an unusual taste.
Coffee connoisseurs justifiably consider the taste to be incomparable, thanks to its softness and chocolate notes, with the presence of an elusive aroma of the jungle. The cost of 50 grams of this variety reaches $70.
Blue Mountain Coffee
The top three is closed by Jamaican Arabica Blue Mountain, priced at $200 per 450 grams. This variety is grown on plantations located high in the mountains. The grains have an unusual blue-green color, which is due to the special composition of the soil and the unique climate. Thanks to such factors, this elite variety has a soft, slightly tart, nutty taste with a slight sourness.
A distinctive feature of Blue Mountain coffee is that even with its strong taste qualities practically never get lost. This variety enjoys a well-deserved reputation among gourmets, which is confirmed by its second name – “Royal”.
Coffee Hacienda La Esmeralda
Fourth place is rightfully occupied by the elite coffee variety Gacianda la Esmeralda, which has noble taste and aromatic qualities. The extraordinary taste of Hacienda La Esmeralda coffee comes from the volcanic soils near Mount Buru in Panama and special conditions growing when the coffee tree is always in the shade of other trees. The cost of a pound of coffee (453 grams) of this variety is about $100.
As the name implies, this variety grows on the island of the same name, which is considered the most environmentally friendly corner of the planet. Volcanic, rich minerals soil and ecological situation, has the most favorable effect on the quality of coffee beans.
Coffee from St. Helena is grown at altitudes of 3,000 meters or more, i.e. in almost ideal conditions required for Arabica trees. The price of 1 pound (453 grams) of coffee from St. Helena is $80.
Coffee El Injerto
High-quality Guatemalan coffee variety, the original taste of which defines humid climate region. The El Injerto variety has received many awards from various exhibitions and is recognized as one of the best products in the coffee industry. One pound of coffee beans costs about $50.
Coffee Fazenda Santa Ines
Fazenda Santa Ines is an elite coffee variety grown in Brazil. High quality is ensured by manual picking and sorting during harvesting. Coffee lovers praise Fazenda Santa Ines for its chocolate flavor with a slight citrus aftertaste.
Fazenda Santa Ines coffee reveals its entire bouquet in combination with milk and cream. For those who love and are willing to pay for quality, Fazenda Santa Ines will best choice. The cost of 1 pound (453 g) of this variety is $50.
Los Planes Coffee
Los Plains coffee is an internationally recognized variety grown in El Salvador and prized for its original flavor with notes of cocoa and light floral aroma. Los Planes coffee costs $40 per pound.
Kona Coffee
Kona Coffee is a little-known, but nevertheless very high-quality variety of Hawaiian coffee. Thanks to the volcanic soil rich in minerals and favorable conditions for growing Arabica, it has an original taste and rich aroma. 450 grams of Kona Coffee costs $35.
Coffee Blue Bourbon
Blue Bourbon closes the list of the most expensive coffee varieties. Experts rate the taste of coffee as very soft, with slight sourness and a vanilla aftertaste. The aroma contains well-recognized floral motifs. Produced in Rwanda and costs $35 per pound of grain.
Coffee is a popular energy drink consumed all over the world. It is approved by most religions, contains caffeine, which stimulates the mind and senses, and has a wonderful aroma.
Online statistics portal Statista.com says the global instant coffee market will grow to $36.3 billion in 2020. And even if you prefer not the most expensive coffee, you are still one of the reasons for this growth.
And if you have the desire and opportunity to try very rare, unusual and valuable coffee, then choose any option from this list of the most expensive coffees in the world according to your budget.
10. Hawaii Kona - $34 per pound (0.45 kg)
This coffee has a fantastic taste with a slight sourness: it contains chocolate, citrus notes and nutty shades. The aroma of coffee is creamy and spicy, and when you inhale it, you may think of sweet cinnamon rolls.
Hawaii Kona is made from a rare variety of Arabica beans grown in the mineral-rich volcanic soil of the northern and southern Kona region. And when Hawaii Kona blooms, you might think that on the trees in hot weather there is snow.
Because this coffee is in such short supply, many producers use a blend of 10% Kona coffee and 90% cheaper variety.
9. Los Planes Coffee - $40 per pound
Some people dedicate their entire lives to coffee production. And their favorite business brings them fabulous income. So the family of Sergio Ticas from El Salvador combines business with pleasure - they grow coffee and sell it.
Los Planes Coffee took second place in the prestigious Cup Of Excellence competition in 2006 and sixth place in 2011. This drink has a pleasant aroma of caramel sauce and an invigorating taste with fruity notes. And in the aftertaste you can feel the sweetness of honey and almonds.
8. Sexagintuple Vanilla Bean Mocha Frappuccino - $54.75 per cup
This is the most expensive coffee in the Starbucks coffee chain. Its high price is due to the addition of 60 espresso shots.
The drink was purchased by a customer named Andrew, who posted a photo of the giant coffee and the receipt on Twitter.
By the way, he didn’t pay a cent for his purchase because he is a member of the loyalty program. And has Gold status, which allows you to order a free drink after every 12 drinks purchased. And without any restrictions on the volume of the mug.
According to Andrew, the coffee he ordered was delicious. However, the man was unable to drink his mug in one go. Could you?
7. Brazil Santa Ines - $50 per pound
The highlight of this coffee is its fruity and sweet taste with notes of caramel, raisins, prunes and vanilla. It is grown in Brazil on the Santa Ines farm, and its production dates back more than a hundred years.
This valuable coffee is processed in an unusual way called Honey.
- Part of the pulp (pulp) is removed from the fruit in the same way as during wet processing.
- The coffee beans are dried in the usual way, but the remaining part of the pulp imparts its sweetness to them.
- Therefore, the finished drink tastes sweet and honey-like (hence the name Honey).
6. Jamaica Blue Mountain - $50 per pound
The name of coffee is given by its place of origin - it is grown in the Jamaican Blue Mountains at an altitude of about 1200-1500 meters above sea level. Blue Mountain is harvested by hand and processed only in a wet way - that is, the peel of the fruit and pulp are removed, after which the grains remain in a thin shell - “parchment”.
Jamaica Blue Mountain is the only coffee in the world that comes in wooden barrels rather than bags.
This drink has a characteristic mild taste that is completely devoid of bitterness. It is popular in Japan, which is one of the largest importers of this brand. At one time, John Lennon and “Bond’s dad” Ian Fleming drank it.
5. Saint Helena Coffee - $79 per pound
The great Napoleon Bonaparte was a passionate admirer of this coffee and grew it on the island of St. Helena, which explains its name.
The island is located in the Atlantic Ocean, 1800 km from the west coast of Africa. Therefore, transport costs for transporting coffee are high, which is one of the reasons for the impressive price tag. However, lovers of this brand are more than willing to fork out the cash, as the drink has a unique caramel taste with citrus undertones.
4. Kopi Luwak - $160 per pound
Surely you have heard about the most expensive coffee in the world made from dung. Yes, we are talking about the famous “Kopi Luwak”, made from grains fermented in the body of musangs (or Malayan palm civets).
Eating juicy and ripe coffee beans, the animals then get rid of them naturally. And people extract coffee from musang feces, process it and sell it to coffee connoisseurs, not at the price of manure.
The excellent taste of this coffee with notes of vanilla and chocolate is due to the enzymes secreted by the civet during digestion.
It is curious that in a day the animal can eat up to a kilogram of grains, and the “output” will be about 50 grams. In addition, the enzyme that gives coffee its noble taste is not secreted in musangs all year round, but only for 6 months, so for the remaining time they have to be fed “just like that.” Which is expensive for those who keep musangs for their unique diet.
Now you understand why Kopi Luwak is so expensive. However, on this moment It's not the most expensive coffee of the litter. This title took him away from number one on our list.
3. Hacienda La Esmeralda - $350 per pound
In recent years, the third most expensive coffee variety has won many awards in world coffee competitions (first place from the Coffee Association of America from 2005 to 2007, Best coffee Panama, etc.).
It is cultivated on the slopes of the Baru volcano in Panama, at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level. Volcanic soil and an ecosystem almost untouched by human hands provide this coffee ideal conditions for maturation.
This rare coffee delicacy offers connoisseurs a fantastic taste with a balanced combination of chocolate, fruit and spicy notes, and a rich aftertaste.
2. Finca El Injerto Coffee - $500 per pound
The second most expensive coffee in the world is grown in eastern Guatemala on the estate of the Aguirre family, which has been producing, processing and marketing high-quality coffee for generations.
Finca El Injerto has great natural sweetness and a rich flavor with notes of plum, cherry, praline, milk chocolate and exquisite citrus acidity. A coffee lover's dream.
1. Black Ivory Coffee - over $500 per pound
Here it is, a drink that bears the proud title of “the most expensive coffee made from excrement.” Like Kopi Luwak, it is obtained from the feces of Thai elephants, not musangs, which consume Arabica coffee beans and process them during the digestive process.
Their stomach acid breaks down bean proteins and provides the drink with a characteristic mild taste, devoid of bitterness. And digesting the beans along with bananas and other components of the elephant's usual diet gives Black Ivory coffee an earthy, fruity aroma.
The most expensive coffee from the litter is rare because elephants eat a lot of coffee beans but give out much less. To get one kilogram of Black Ivory, an animal must eat about 33 kilograms of fresh coffee berries.
This brand is produced only in the north of Thailand and is available at the country's elite resorts. The price of the most expensive coffee in the world reaches about $1,100 (71,000 rubles) per kilogram.