In fact, some of it is also way beyond strange. Take Kopi Luwak from Indonesia. Weighing in at around $160 per pound, not only has it been hand picked for you off of the jungle floor, it has also been eaten and excreted by an animal called the common palm civet (think cross between a cat and a raccoon. In fact they are also known as toddy cats). No thanks, I’ll skip this one--eating and excreting are my job.
Here is how gourmet or specialty coffee is defined by the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America): “Specialty coffee is defined as a coffee that has no defects and has a distinctive flavor in the cup…Like wine and honey, specialty coffee has a unique flavor thanks to the micro-climates that produce it.” The SCAA also estimates the specialty coffee market at 12 billion per year.
According to Forbes.com, here are the top ten most expensive specialty coffees:
1.Kopi Luwak the most expensive coffee in the world does exist, and those who drink the expensive coffee insist that it is made from coffee beans eaten, partly digested and then excreted by the Common palm civet, a weasel-like animal.
“Kopi” the Indonesian word for coffee along with “luwak” is local name of this animal which eats the raw red coffee beans. The civet digests the soft outer part of the coffee cherry, but does not digest the inner beans and excretes them.
Grown in: Indonesia
Cost: $160 per pound
2.Hacienda La Esmeralda
Coffee: Hacienda La Esmeralda
Grown in: Boquete, Panama
Cost: $104 per pound
Coffee quality is a product of altitude and processing. One of the truisms of coffee growers is that the bean is at its finest the moment the ripe cherry is picked from the tree. The only thing the grower can do from then on is to diminish the quality - he can in no way improve on it.
This means that as growers our responsibility is to pick only the ripest most perfect fruits and process them as perfectly as possible to bring out the full taste that nature put into them.
3.Island of St. Helena Coffee Company
Coffee: Island of St. Helena Coffee Company
Grown in: St. Helena
Cost: $79 per pound
Coffee is known for its exclusive flavor. The island of St. Helena is where the coffee is grown. The island where Napoleon Bonaparte lived in exile for the rest of his life is located 1,200 miles off the coast of Africa. St. Helena Coffee saw the light of the day during the period of his exile. It owes much of its present popularity to the exiled Napoleon Bonaparte who had praised it in glowing terms. Exclusivity of the coffee is evident from its staggering price that is $79 per pound.
St. Helena Coffee is in high demand across the globe because of its exceptional quality. Napoleon Bonaparte’s eloquent praise of the coffee made it popular in Paris though for a brief period. After the death of the emperor, the coffee disappeared from the sight for over a century.
St. Helena Coffee had made its way from Yemen to the island in 1732 according to the records of the English East India Company. Houghton the East India Company’s ship carried the first seed of this coffee from the Red Sea port of Mocha to the island on its return to Europe.
Apart from the endorsement from Napoleon, St. Helena Coffee had received rave reviews from the world of coffee lovers. In 1839, the London coffee merchants Wm Burnie & Co declared the coffee to be of the most distinguished quality. The coffee began to enjoy eminence of the most exclusive and expensive coffee in the world when it became a rage with Londoners in 1885.
The production of the coffee in the St. Helena Coffee Company is minuscule in comparison to the worldwide demand. The company owns at present six estates. It started producing coffee in 1994. The production has increased four times since 1994.
4.El Injerto
Coffee: El Injerto
Grown in: Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Cost: $25 per pound green at auction
Expected to retail for more than $50 per pound
El Injerto coffee is one of the all time favorite that has won million hearts worldwide. Coming straight from the Huehuetenango region of Guatemala and grabbing the first prize in the 2006 cup of excellence, the coffee is likely to retail for more than $50 per pound. This is not all; it took third place in 2002 followed by sixth in 2007.
Behind the name El-Injerto, there is a brief history. In 1874, the first owner of the Guatemala firm was Mr. Jesus Aguirre Panama. He began cultivating sugarcane to produce crystallized sugar. But during 1990, he changed his mind and started planting coffee naming this section El Injerto.
El Injerto boasts of a total of 700 hundred and fifty acres, four hundred of them are between 1500 and 2000 meters, all planted with coffee, fruits, grains, orchards and some productive plants. The remaining 350 hectares have been preserved as a thousand year old virgin forest, which gives the farm its special climate and adequate conditions to have clean water that springs directly from the mountain.
Moreover, the farm constitutes the perfect habitat for flora and fauna and allows the production of coffee in an eco-system preserving the ecological balance. In addition, the farm has an annual rainfall of 1800-2000 mm per year and relative humidity of 70%, which is very suitable for coffee production.
The highlands of Guatemala produce some of the finest coffee available. The hard bean grade featured here has the full body and the crisp acidity of a true excellent coffee. Deep rich aroma with a pinch of spice, often gives way to the complex fruit, chocolate and caramel flavors. To be precise the enticing aroma and the long lasting flavor is a sensory treat to provide you a feel of lifetime.
5.Fazenda Santa Ines
Coffee: Fazenda Santa Ines
Grown in: Minas Gerais, Brazil
Cost: $50 per pound green at auction
Fazenda Santa Ines, earned the distinction of being a Cup of Excellence finalist in the COE Competition that was held in Brazil in 2006. Leaving hundreds of coffees behind, it emerged the winner of the competition. A panel of international jurists had selected only 53 coffees out of hundreds in the first round.
Having won a score of 95.85 out of 100 points, Fazenda Santa Ines ranks the highest in the Cup of Excellence history. The coffee is highly valued for its benchmark quality and refreshing flavor throughout the world. Caffe Artigiano, a famous café in Canada and two Australian roasters had purchased the coffee at rate of $50 per pound at an auction.
The ten top coffees were selected for the final round through a four-day long process of evaluation. Ultimately, Fazenda Santa Ines made its way as the best pick of the basket winning the 2006 Cup of Excellence Award.
Situated in the Mantiqueira Mountain Range in the State of Minas Gerais, the farm Fazenda Santa Ines is owned by the Sertao Group. Two other coffee farms are under the authority of the group. Protection and preservation of the coffee is a concern with the Group. The coffee is packed in special air and lightproof boxes.
Fazenda Santa Ines is sweet in taste and bright in color. Exceptional in flavor, the coffee retains the essence of lemon and clove. The citrus texture of the coffee strikes a chord with discerning coffee lovers. The delectable and delicate taste of this highly aromatic FazendaSanta Ines tempts all to have a relish of it. It has a creamy feel and chocolaty body with a sweet finish. It deserves to be an outstanding wonder in the world of coffee.
Coffee: Fazenda Santa Ines
Grown in: Minas Gerais, Brazil
Cost: $50 per pound green at auction
6.Blue Mountain
Grown in: Wallenford Estate, Jamaica
Cost: $49 per pound
Blue Mountain is grown on the eastern end of the beautiful island of Jamaica in the magical range of hills, known asBlue Mountains. The coffee in question is grown on an elevation of 7402 feet above the sea level, highest point of Jamaica.
Cool climatic conditions mixed with the rich earth and generous rainfall provides a friendly environment for growing coffee. This combination of soil and climate proves ideal for coffee that is full-bodied and silk like smooth.
Straight from the magical beauty and lush vegetation of Blue mountain range, here comes the rarest of all coffees – Blue Mountain. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is the class arrangement of coffee, famous for its refined taste and hint of natural sweetness. Noted for their exhilarating aroma and mild flavor, the coffee has developed a reputation, making it one of the most expensive ($49 per pound) and sought after coffees in the world.
History reveals that this Blue Mountain Coffee is not native to Jamaica or the Caribbean. Its origin lie in Yemen and it was carried across the globe by Europeans. It is said that Louis XV of France sent three plants to Martinique in 1723, from that two plants died on the way and the lone surviving plant ended up in Jamaica. From that, the coffee industry thus owes its heritage.
Remember, the world’s most acclaimed coffee is a globally protected certification mark, which means that only the particular coffee certified by the Coffee board of Jamaica can be labeled as such. Mind you, as this coffee comes from the recognized growing region in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica, its cultivation is also supervised by the coffee industry Board of Jamaica.
Holding a solid niche in the Gourmet coffee market, Blue Mountain simply tastes like no other. Its taste is dependant on the geographical and climatological phenomena, found only in the tiny part of Jamaica. The harvest of the blue Mountain coffee is hectic and occurs only when the beans are ripe. They are then handpicked separately, one after the other at a time.
7.Los Planes
Grown in: Citala, El Salvador
Cost: $30 per 12 ounces ($40 per pound)
Los Planes, is a renowned coffee of El Salvador. Though newly established, the coffee has spread it aroma in every nook and corner of El Salvador. Distinction of the coffee from others is evident from its honor of ranking the second in the 2006 El Salvador Cup of Excellence competition. It had bagged 93.52 out of 100 from the eminent members of an international jury. It costs $40 per pound.
Rare availability of Los Planes is the mark of its exclusivity. The coffee is produced from the grains that trees of large-bean Pacamara variety of Arabica yield. Sergio Edmond Ticas planted the trees yielding these coffee beans. The farm of Los Planes is the property that Sergio Edmond Ticas inherited from his grandfather, Jos Onofre Ticas.
At the initial stage, Los Planes had only the trees of Typica variety. The farm has undergone a renovation after it came under the authority of Sergio Ticas. He introduced the trees of Bourbon and Pacamara varieties inthe farm. The coffee from the farm undergoes a meticulous processing process in the wet mill. The coffee beans are treated with fresh water from natural spring and dried in the sun on patios under gourmet preparation protocol.
Enthusiasm of Sergio Ticas runs high to ensure a high production of coffee in his Los Planes farm. He has assumed several advanced measures and implemented them to make the production run high. The density of coffee trees in his firm is 3,500 trees per hectare. The way he takes care ofthe farm is somewhat traditional. Weed control, shade pruning and rationalized usage of fertilizers are among the traditional measures that he follows in treatingthe farm.
The taste of the coffee is not only fine but fulfilling as well. Enriched with hints of citrus and maple, the coffee is well balanced in texture. LosPlanes is so highly delicious that a relish of it hangs over your tongue till you have it the second time.
8.Kona Coffee
Grown in: Hawaii
Cost: $30 per 14 ounces (about $34 per pound)
Kona Coffee is the market name for a variety of the Top 10 Coffees in the world cultivated on the slopes of Mount Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. It is the class arrangement of coffee famous for its refined taste and natural sweetness.
Branded for its mind-blowing aroma and mild flavor, the coffee worth $34 per pound has developed a reputation, making it one of the most expensive and desired coffees in the world.
Delving deep into its history would reveal that the coffee plant was first brought to Kona’s rich volcanic soil, in the nineteenth century by Samuel Reverend Ruggles from Brazilian Cuttings. It was then grown on large plantations but the sudden tumbling in the world coffee market caused the plantation owners to hand over their lands to their workers in lease. The Japanese workers, on hire started working on their leased land parcels, producing large quality coffee crops.
The most desired coffee is grown on the slopes of Mount Hualalai and Mauna Loa in North and South Kona districts of the big island of Hawaii. The coffee in question is very much accustomed to the Kona weather pattern of bright sunny mornings, humid rainy afternoons and mild nights, responding to the favorable coffee growing conditions. The geographical location proves ideal for coffee that is full-bodied and tastes like no other.
Surprising Kona coffee beans are classified according to the seed types. The grading depends on size, moisture, content and more. The type I beans bear two beans per cherry, flat on one side and oval on the other. The grades of type IKona coffee are called in names like Kona extra fancy, Kona fancy, Kona prime etc. While type II beans, consist of one round bean per cherry, widely known as peaberry, whose grades are often called Peaberry Prime.
9.Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon
Grown in: Africa
Cost: $24 per pound
Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon is truly a delight to the senses of coffee aficionados. Famous for its refined taste and hint of natural sweetness the coffee has earned great acclaim in the line of gourmet coffees. Noted for its subtle acidity and spicy complexity, the coffee, worth $24 is not only expensive and sought after but acts a great variance in comparison to other coffees in East Africa as well.
According to the company, Rwanda Blue Bourbon has a subtle acidity and an herbal, spicy uniqueness that are very much absent in the coffees of Africa. Concisely,Rwanda is a medium-bodied coffee, blending a balance of acidity and body. This fully washed blue Bourbon has an interesting flavor that combines full body, spice notes, complex cocoa and medium acidity.
Blue refers to the blue green colors of the unroasted coffee cherries, produced at the washing stations while Bourbon refers to the bourbon variety of Arabica species.
It was due to the political unrest and violence; farmers stopped growing high quality coffee from Rwanda. Reports claim that in 2001, two agencies, US Agency for International Development (USAID) and Agribusiness Development Activity inRwanda (ADAR) assisted and encouraged farmers producing specialty coffee for the first time, imparting them the fundamentals of cultivating Arabica Bourbon beans. They not only convicted farmers to continue coffee growing but upgraded the crop into quality plus Arabica Bourbon variety.
Generally, Rwanda coffee is grown by smallholder farmers. The combination of high elevation, rich soil and good climate and rainfall make Rwanda a perfect place for growing such top quality coffee. Considerable climatic conditions mixed with rich earth and generous rainfall provides a friendly environment for growing coffee.
10.Yauco Selecto Coffee
Grown in: Puerto Rico
Cost: $22 per pound
Yauco Selecto Coffee from Puerto Rico is considered one of the finest yet rare coffees of Caribbean region that offers a full-bodied experience with an arresting after taste. Being branded as Puerto Rico’s finest specialty coffee, this true estate coffee worth $22 per pound has an aroma of a chocolate stout, buttery and sweet with a solid power punch.
The coffee is prepared exclusively with Arabica coffee beans from Hacienda San pedro and Santa Ana in the high mountains of Yauco. As these coffee beans are grown at an altitude up to 3200 feet, people consider Yauco Selecto as Porto Rico’s finest coffee region.
Yauco is known for possessing the characteristics of full body, medium acidity, sweet taste and chocolaty after tone. Grown on the Southwestern Mountains of the island, this ‘island’ coffee is known for its mild flavor. The bean offers a full-bodied experience with a creamy buttery taste coupled with a brilliant aftertaste. The coffee is best when roasted at a full city level. The even roast of the beans ensures same experience time after time.
What makes Yauco Selecto coffee so special is its thorough process and care to its detailing. The coffee is first planted, nurtured, grown, cultivated, processed and then exported. Their careful monitoring and selection of the coffee beans result in the superior cup of coffee. Besides there are several factors behind the Yauco Selecto coffee cup qualities.
