Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. Enter any cafe today and you will see a long list of options, varied in terms of their origin, brewing technique, flavor, and so on. The most exclusive coffee shops offer the most expensive coffees from around the world. These brews don’t just taste different but will also burn a sizable hole in your pocket. Here’s a list of super-expensive coffee varieties from around the world.
Costing a whopping $160/lb, Luwak Coffee is famous not just for its unusual taste but also the manner in which it is produced. An Indonesian civet is fed coffee berries, which after fermentation in its digestive system and ... elimination, are cleaned and processed to get the final, consumable coffee.
As far as the taste goes, Luwak coffee takes some getting used to. A lot of food critics and coffee connoisseurs maintain that this variety sells for the story; the taste itself is none too good.
This exclusive coffee brew is produced only by Hacienda La Esmeralda in Boquete, Panama. It’s actually called “Esmerelda” or Gesha coffee, but most people refer to it by the name of its production origins.
This coffee is supposed to derive its unique, pleasing flavour by being grown in the shade of guava trees. Since it is not just fancy but also tastes wonderful, Hacienda La Esmeralda has received many culinary awards in the past.
St. Helena’s Coffee will leave you about $79 poorer just for 1 lb worth of product. It became famous on account of Napoleon Bonaparte’s unwitting promotional campaign; during his exile, he took refuge at St. Helena, a small island along the coast of South Africa, nestling in the South Atlantic Ocean and deemed its coffee to be “the only good thing” about the place. Apparently, he even sowed the seeds on some of the farms.
This Guatemalan coffee, which costs about $50 per pound, is widely cultivated in the Huehuetenango. The versatile blend, which tastes brilliant both as drip coffee and espresso, won the 4th stop in the Cup of Excellence Competition 2006.
It is a rich, chocolatey blend that, though not very complex, has a delectable fruity kick and great aroma; it's lauded by those who enjoy mocha-esque concoctions.
Cultivated in Brazil, especially in the Minas Geraiz area, Fazenda Santa Ines gets its name from the farm on which it is primarily produced. The hallmark of this coffee is that it is produced in the traditional way, without any automated processes, which is believed to add more complexity.
It is flavorsome and smooth to drink and tastes good with milk, as well. A lot of people compare the taste of this coffee to berries and caramel.
For those who like their coffee mild and light, Blue Mountain would be the best indulgence, both in terms of taste and expense. This coffee is touted for its lack of bitterness and this has earned it quite a reputation over the past few decades.
This Jamaica-produced coffee, which is grown in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains, is now a very sought-after brew. But you have to shell out about $49 for 1 lb to enjoy it.
The second-place winner in the 2006 Cup of Excellence, Los Planes is primarily grown and processed in Citala in El Salvador. It is supposed to be a fruity, pungent coffee that will appeal to those who enjoy Ethiopian and Sumatran blends. The Los Planes coffee mixes tend to have a mild flavor and lovely aromatics.
At $40 for a pound, this coffee is expensive, but aficionados maintain that it is worth every penny and better than costlier blends.
The coffee cultivated in the South and North Kona Districts on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Hualalai receives the exclusive label of ‘Kona’ coffee. There are various types Kona coffee and their quality and taste range from good to bad.
There are numerous fans of such brews, but quite a few sceptics claim that Kona coffees are overpriced at $34 per pound and taste ordinary.
Coffee mega-seller Starbucks introduced the Rwanda Blue Bourbon to its inventory post-2004. Their staff visited the coffee washing stations in Gatare and Karengera and found their produce to be of high quality; smooth brews with a very strong finish.
This is a favorite pick amongst those who love strong concoctions. And given that it’s marketed by Starbucks, a $24/pound price tag does not seem too expensive.
Sourced from the Yauco area in Puerto Rica, the Coffee Yauco Selecto AA is amongst the most popular expensive coffees globally. It is a mild, smooth brew that appeals to a wide palate and thus, its sale and purchase have increased significantly in recent years.
This Puerto Rican coffee costs $24 a pound which isn’t as exorbitant as some other varieties on this list and is a mainstay with many coffee lovers.