Kopi Luwak : The unbelievalble story of world's most expensive coffee
Coffee lovers around the world who constantly search for unique and exotic coffee flavors have their own "Holy Grail" : Kopi Luwak, one of the world's rarest and most expensive coffees.
Nowadays, the quest for special and quality coffees has starting to resemble the luxurious wine tasting. Among Arabica's special varieties, such as the Blue Mountain Jamaican, or carefully selected coffees from small producers, coffee lovers from all over the world swear in the name of Kopi Luwak - or at least, so do those who have managed to experience this unique coffee.
Kopi Luwak originates from Indonesia and its production process is quite shocking. Kopi Luwak Coffee beans are harvested from the faeces of Luwak, a small wild cat like mamal that lives near coffee plantations in the Indonesian archipelago. The wild cats eat, among other things, coffee fruits, but as they can not digest the beans, they discard them with their excrements. The beans are fermented in the digestive tract of the animals, which gives them their unique flavor, according to the Kopi Luwak enthusiasts.
Indonesians claim that Kopi Luwak's special flavor, in addition to the fermentation of coffee beans, is due to the fact that the animals choose the ripest fruits for their diet. Kopi Luwak, according to its admirers, has gentle taste, low acidity and brings to the nose aromas of caramel and nuts, many of which are similar to the flavor of the most delicate Arabica varieties. On the other hand, there are few who argue that Kopi Luwak does not have a special flavor from other coffees and how it owes its reputation to its particular method of preparation and its exoticism – it’s considered by many as a status symbol than a real gastronomic experience.
The price of Kopi Luwak can reach up to $ 500 a kilo, while in specialty coffee shops, a cup of brewed Kopi Luwak can cost up to $ 50. The reason for this extravagant price of this coffee is its very limited production, which does not exceed 500 kg per year, and the ever-persistent demand. Moreover, the fact that collecting, cleaning and treating the faeces requires had labor increases Kopi Luwak’s price even further. Naturally, such high prices have led many producers to deceive coffee lovers: many claim that the total amount of coffee sold as Kopi Luwak each year is at least five times bigger than its actual production.
Kopi Luwak's production unfortunately also has a particularly dark point. Due to growing demand, there are intensive production units for Kopi Luwak, in which the civets are imprisoned under wretched conditions and force – fed the coffee beans. The coffee produced, according to the Indonesians, should not even be referred to as Kopi Luwak, as the animals living conditions are terribly degrading its quality besides raising important issues for the moral treatment of animals. There is a special trademark that certifies Kopi Luwak Coffee that have been produced legally by wild animals that live freely in their natural environment, but unfortunately the phenomena of cheating are numerous.
If you ever are in Indonesia, consider the chance of trying Kopi Luwak – if you are not grossed by the way it is made. But in the while, if you are looking for delicate coffees, leave the civets alone and try a specialty espresso instead.
