Explore the world of the most expensive coffee varieties, delving into their unique cultivation methods and flavors. Learn about exclusive beans like Kopi Luwak, Black Ivory, and Hacienda La Esmeralda, each offering distinct tasting experiences and commanding high prices due to their rarity and unique processing techniques. This guide provides insights into what makes these coffees so special and sought after by connoisseurs.
The World’s Most Expensive Coffees
Kopi Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world. The reason for the high price tag is the way that the coffee is made, which is… you could say…quite unique.
Coffee beans are fed to the Indonesian palm civet, digested in part, and then excreted for use to make the coffee. A cup of Kopi Luwak coffee can be priced between $35 and $100, and per pound, from $100 to $600.
Hacienda El Roble costs over $100 per pound and is considered one of the rarest coffees in the world. Only 22 kg of this coffee is produced each year in Columbia. The producers make use of unique fermentation processes and have been producing coffee for around 70 years.
Hawaiian Kona Coffee comes from a rare variety of coffee beans used in the process, and the beans are also available for a limited time. The speciality range of coffees includes the popular Kona Peaberry which received 93 points in a coffee review in 2021. Roast Magazine also named Hawaiian Kona Coffee as a finalist for the Roaster of the Year competition for 2022.
Hacienda La Esmeralda has won many awards over the years and comes from the sides of Mount Baru in Panama. It has a rich flavour and is priced at $350.25 per pound. The record-breaking coffee farm, found in the Bouquet region of Panama, is run by the Peterson family. Their Geisha coffee is world famous.
The plant was initially chosen because it can tolerate the disease coffee leaf rust. However, not only is it disease resistant, it has produced many outstanding qualities in coffee. The Hacienda La Esmeralda coffee is known for being sweet, for its acidity, and also delightful floral notes.
Saint Helena Coffee is cultivated on the island of Saint Helena and its remote location is part of what contributes to the expensive price tag. The coffee is fragrant with a caramel flavour and has a touch of citrus. it’s priced from around $43.75 a kilogram and this figure climbs steadily upwards.
Finca El Injerto Coffee is made from rare, rich, and small beans which are washed thoroughly to improve the grain quality. This coffee has a price tag of $500 per pound and was awarded the Best Coffee of Guatemala in 2021. The farm is certified as carbon neutral.
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is uniquely cultivated 5000 feet on the Jamaican Blue Mountains and has a mild taste without being bitter. Large imports of this coffee travel to Japan where it is a staple of the locals. The coffee is pricey and beans for a single cup can cost you between $12 to $15. Typically, it sells for $65 per pound.
Black Ivory Coffee comes from a remote part of northern Thailand and its processing is done by elephants. Top-quality high-altitude Arabica cherries are given to the elephants to digest. What’s amazing is that it takes around 33 kilograms of raw cherries to produce one kilogram of the actual coffee product!
This exotic coffee is mainly sold to five-star hotels and Michelin restaurants due to its rarity. It costs around $2,000 per kilogram or $50 per cup. The flavour of the coffee is that of chocolate and spices. But ultimately, the digestive juices of the elephants determine the final flavour.
Genuine Molokai coffee comes from the island of Molokai in Maui, Hawaii. There is a huge global demand for Molokai, which has created a huge price tag of between $40 and $50 per pound. The Red Catuai in particular is an Arabica variety that loves the red soils found in the region and creates the coffee’s rich flavour.
Fazenda Santa Ines grows at the foot of the Mantiqueira mountains of Brazil. The coffee is sweet, with citrus notes and low acidity and goes for $12.95 an ounce. The coffee was created in 1979 by the Pereira family and has set world records too, achieving a score of 95.85 in the Cup of Excellence Brazil in 2005. South Minas offers great coffee-growing conditions.
Ospina coffee has been brewing for five generations. It is made from Arabica Typica beans grown in the tropical forests of the Andes which are known for their lovely shade. The mountain slopes are full of volcanic ash. This is great soil fertiliser and creates the warm and nutty flavour of the coffee that sells for $790 per 250 grams.
Finca Los Planes coffee comes from a farm in El Salvador and won second place at the 2006 Cup of Excellence, and sixth place in 2011. Some of the flavours include tangerine with caramel, and the coffee has an overall refreshing taste. It retails for $19.00 for 12 ounces.
Starbucks Quadriginoctuple Frap is Starbucks’s most expensive coffee at $47.30. The reason for the price tag is the limited production. Coffee lovers can enjoy the flavours of mocha frappuccino with vanilla chips, caramel ice cream, bananas, strawberries, caramel, protein powder, and soybean mocha.
Greenwell Organic Coffee is the ideal kick for anyone wanting to summit a mountain. It’s no wonder that the highest and most beautiful mountains of Nepal produce wonderful coffee, and the Greenwell Organic Farm produces some of the best and most expensive coffee. This organic brew retails at $60 per pound.
Mi Esperanza Coffee hails from Honduras, a country that is continually becoming a great coffee-growing region. Mi Esperanza Coffee has earned itself an impressive price tag on auction and is much loved because Honduran coffee doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste which can be common with other types of coffee. The flavour profile of the coffee is nuts, fruits, and spices and it sells for around $35 per pound.
For any coffee lover the world over, these rare, exclusive and expensive coffees might just be a dream. But for anyone who ever has the opportunity to try them, you’re sure to understand the price tag and reputation that they’ve earned. Once you’ve had a cup of one of these coffees, nothing will ever compare.
Dan is a former competition barista and has been honing his knowledge of coffee for over two decades.
He has worked in coffee farms in Peru, as well as roasters in Australia. He now trains new baristas and hosts cupping experiences in Austin.