What Is the Most Expensive Coffee in the World?

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Kopi Luwak was long considered the priciest, but Geisha coffees from Panama now fetch record prices of several thousand euros per kilo at auction, and Black Ivory Coffee from Thailand costs around €1,000–2,000 per kilo. Kopi Luwak from Indonesia became famous because the coffee beans pass through the digestive tract of the Asian palm civet. Fermentation in the animal's stomach alters the flavour profile — less bitterness, milder body. Wild-collected Kopi Luwak costs €200–400 per kilo. The problem: most production comes from cruel caged operations where animals are fed nothing but coffee cherries. The specialty coffee community rejects Kopi Luwak for this reason. Black Ivory Coffee from Thailand follows a similar principle, but with elephants. Production is more labour-intensive, and quantities are tiny — under 200 kg per year. The price sits at €1,000–2,000 per kilo. The actual record prices, however, go to Geisha coffees from Panama. At the "Best of Panama" auction, lots have sold for over US $6,000 per kilo in recent years. The reason: an exceptional flavour profile (jasmine-like, bergamot-esque), extremely limited quantities, and demand from roasters worldwide eager to make a name with an auction lot. Expensive doesn't automatically mean better. Many so-called "most expensive coffees" are more marketing than flavour. A well-roasted Ethiopian Yirgacheffe at €30 per kilo can hold its own against a €500 Kopi Luwak in the cup — and is ethically sound. At our café on Sophienstraße 27 in Berlin-Lichtenberg, we don't carry Kopi Luwak — for ethical reasons. Instead, we serve specialty coffee from changing origins — as espresso, as filter coffee and as beans to take home. You don't need record prices to experience how different coffee can taste. You'll find us at Sophienstraße 27 in Berlin-Lichtenberg, Monday to Friday 8am–5pm and Saturday 10am–5pm.

What Is the Most Expensive Coffee in the World?

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