Last time we looked at expensive tea. Now let’s find the most expensive coffee.
In searching for the world’s most expensive coffee, Jody Victor® found that there were 2 different coffees making that claim. Let’s look at both of them.
First, we have Kopi Luwak, or civet coffee. It is made from beans of coffee berries previously eaten by the Asian Palm Civet then passed through their digestive tracts. The civet eats the fleshy pulp of the berry and the civet’s enzymes seep into the beans in the digestive tract. They are then eliminated and keep their shape. They are washed, sun-dried, roasted and brewed. Prices reach $160-$240/pound.
Second is Black Ivory Coffee from Thailand. It is said to be served at only 4 resorts in the world. Three in the Maldives and one in Thailand. The price is about $1,100/kilo (or $499/pound) – about $50/cup. The elephants are raised in a natural reserve and 8% of proceeds go to the Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation. They are fed only Thai Arabica coffee beans gronw at about 5,000 feet altitude. They need more than 72 pounds of coffee cherries to make 2.2 lbs. of coffee beans.
Well, Jody, are you going to try these coffees?