A steaming cup of coffee after a hectic day is the best way to relieve stress. Watching the rains or reading while sipping a cup of coffee is one of those moments which incorporate the essence of living. Moreover, coffee is a preferred flavour in both savoury dishes and desserts. Though most coffee beans come from Brazil, there are many rarely found and differently sourced most-sought-after ones with heavy price tags. If you think Luwak coffee made from the droppings of civet cat tops the list, you are mistaken! There are even more expensive coffees.
Hacienda La Esmeralda, Rs 48,000/kg
One of the most famous coffees, it is popular for hitting record breaking prices at auctions and winning the Best of Panama award. Hacienda La Esmeralda is grown at approximately 1,850 meters above sea level with extremely complex aromatics and flavors, including jasmine and stone fruit. On shopping websites, it is priced at Rs 48,000 a kg. But last year, at Panama coffee auction, it fetched Rs 80,000 a kg.
Black Ivory Coffee, Rs 75,000/kg
The coffee is made by a company in Thailand with the same name, from Arabica beans consumed by elephants and processed during digestion. Their stomach acid breaks down the bean proteins and provides a characteristic robust flavor to the beans. The ideal temperature to drink this coffee is 60 degree celsius. With just 150 kg of beans processed in 2017 alone, Black Ivory Coffee tops the chart as the world’s rarest coffee which is sold primarily to select five-star hotels. However, a small portion of it is sold through the company’s website as well. One kg of Black Ivory is priced at a whooping Rs 75,000.
Kopi Luwak, Rs 41,000/kg
Made from the droppings of civet cat, Kopi Luwak is made in Indonesia. The cats consume the coffee cherries which ferment during digestion. The beans are then collected from their droppings and processed. The unique delicious taste of this coffee is because of the enzymes secreted by the civet during digestion. Kopi Luwak coffee is, therefore, also known as civet coffee, one kilogram of which is currently priced at Rs 41,000.
Finca El Injerto Coffee, Rs 70,000/kg
Named after the estate where it is grown, the coffee is made from rare, rich and small variety beans, making it the second most expensive coffee in the world. The grain quality is improved by washing them in a single channel and breaking them twice.
Finca El Injerto is the first coffee estate in Guatemala, certified as carbon neutral. Though one kg of the coffee costs Rs 70,000, this is one variety that is preferred by many coffee aficionados throughout the world for its creamy taste.
