Top 10 Most Expensive Coffee in the World
Today we’re looking at the top 10 most expensive coffees in the world. Welcome to our website, the place where future billionaires come to get inspired. Today we have a warm, freshly roasted treat of a topic to share. Ok, so it doesn’t trigger dreamy pleasure in everyone.
But the smell of the finest-quality coffee, freshly brewed and steaming with delight, certainly does it for many of us. Have you ever wondered what would happen if the consumption of coffee was entirely prohibited for a week?
In 2017, Starbucks’ revenue was nearly twenty-three billion dollars, and by 2020, it’s estimated that global sales of instant coffee will exceed $40 billion dollars. Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant on the planet. But without further ado, let’s move on to our top 10 list of the most expensive coffees in the world.
10: Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon Coffee
- Price: $28 per pound
- Color: Medium roast
- Sold Price: $28 per pound
- Flavor Notes: Sweet, fruity, and floral
- Origin: Rwanda
The Rwanda Blue Bourbon coffee is relatively new, with Rwanda having undergone a brutal civil war in recent times. Their economy was in tatters; there were absolutely no coffee plantations, and the country was desperate for investment. Starbucks saw the opportunity to improve their international image by philanthropy by investing money in Rwanda.
Starbucks is now able to boast one of the best Fairtrade coffees on the market. It has a relatively high level of acidity that blends well with the aromas of butter, cherry, and spices. Not only is this premium coffee delicious, but by buying it, one can have a sense of satisfaction in helping to build an international economy where farmers from some of the poorest regions are able to gain financial independence.
9: MI Esperanza Coffee
- Price: $35 per pound
- Color: Dark roast
- Sold Price: $35 per pound
- Flavor Notes: Rich, chocolatey, and nutty
- Origin: Italy
This fantastic coffee is grown in the San Juan region of Honduras. The Central American country has grown in reputation for the quality of its beans and the care taken in cultivating them.
The fertile soil of the San Juan region is said to blend well with warm, perfectly humid climates in order to create remarkable growing conditions. In this way, Mia Speranza is renowned as one of the very best coffees that money can buy because it lacks any bitter aftertaste and boasts subtle aromas of nuts, fruits, and spices.
8: Lost Planets Coffee
- Price: $40 per pound
- Color: Medium-dark roast
- Sold Price: $40 per pound
- Flavor Notes: Earthy, spicy, and bold
- Origin: Ethiopia
This delightful coffee is truly special in its cultivation and distribution. With the explosion of international corporations dominating the coffee industry, it’s very rare to find independent family-run businesses, but this is exactly what Las Planas Coffee is.
The coffee beans are grown in the picturesque valleys of El Salvador. The plantation was founded by Sergio Chicas Ayahs and has continued to be run by his family ever since.
The coffee became internationally popular in 2006 when it placed second in the Cup of Excellence awards. Connoisseurs suggest using a light sprinkling of unrefined brown sugar to bring out the authentic flavors of ten and caramel.
7: Fazenda Santa INES Coffee
- Price: $50 per pound
- Color: Medium roast
- Sold Price: $50 per pound
- Flavor Notes: Smooth, caramel, and nutty
- Origin: Brazil
This unique coffee blend is one of the oldest on this list. It’s been cultivated by some of the ancient methods for over a century. The first Fazenda plantations were founded more than a hundred years ago at the base of the Monte Kieta mountains in Brazil. The region also cultivates some of the juiciest and most sought-after tropical fruits.
As a result, Fazenda has a beautiful light and fruity aroma which dances playfully on the palate. The aftertaste is incredibly sweet and helps to make Fazenda extremely Moorish. Due to its prestigious past and unique taste, it’s become a favorite of coffee connoisseurs around the globe. The elites of China and Korea particularly enjoy this delightful blend.
6: Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
- Price: $55 per pound
- Color: Light roast
- Sold Price: $55 per pound
- Flavor Notes: Mild, sweet, and floral
- Origin: Jamaica
The Jamaican Blue Mountains are situated some 5,000 feet above sea level. The rolling hills burst with plant life and dance upon the eyes with a vibrant, luscious green. The name Blue Mountain, however, originates from the fact the area has the highest rainfall on the island and indeed most of the Caribbean.
In such a way, from a distance, the mountain appear blue because they are almost always shrouded by heavy rainfall. This climate gives the coffee a rich and strong flavor without any bitterness or harsh aftertaste. For this reason, it’s highly revered amongst coffee connoisseurs. Japan is the number one importer of this quality product.
5: Saint HELENA Coffee
- Price: $79 per pound
- Color: Medium roast
- Sold Price: $79 per pound
- Flavor Notes: Balanced, fruity, and floral
- Origin: Costa Rica
The history behind this outstanding coffee is rather fascinating. St. Elena is a small island located in the Atlantic, about 1,200 miles off the coast of West Africa. In 1815, Napoleon lost the Battle of Waterloo and, with this defeat, failed in his megalomaniac ambition to take over the world. He was sentenced to live the rest of his life in exile on the remote island of St. Elena.
Although, by definition, it was his prison, it couldn’t have been a bad way to live out his twilight years. Indeed, he began cultivating coffee, so the St. Elena coffee brand is a direct result of failed world dominance by one of the most infamous military leaders in history.
To this day, it is still cultivated on the island and shipped all over the world. Due to its remoteness, transportation costs are high, which certainly accounts for some of the expense. However, the main reason people are willing to pay so much for St. Elena coffee is because of its incredible history and the sheer quality of aromatic flavor. Napoleon Bonaparte may not have had the best of intentions when it came to international diplomacy, but he sure knew how to make a fantastic cup of joe.
4: Kopi Luwak Coffee
- Price: $160 per pound
- Color: Medium-dark roast
- Sold Price: $160 per pound
- Flavor Notes: Smooth, earthy, and rich
- Origin: Indonesia
This coffee is world-famous for the way it’s cultivated. It gained international attention a few years ago when Stephen Fry sent some to Prince Charles as a gift. He joked it was the only possible way of sending otter poo to a member of the royal family and be thanked for it. Kopi Luwak is grown in Indonesia, particularly around Bali.
The area is inhabited by a large number of wild civet cats that absolutely adore eating raw fruits of the coffee beans straight off the tree. The coffee fruit passes through their digestive systems and ferments in the process. The perfectly conditioned beans are then picked out of the animals’ excrement, washed, roasted, and then distributed. Due to the fact that this coffee has become so popular, there are many horrific practices now taking place by unlicensed and unregulated local businesses.
Many Indonesians have decided to capitalize on tourists’ hysteria by capturing civet cats, caging them, and forcing them to eat the cheapest coffee fruit they can find. This is not true, Kopi Luwak. If you’re interested in trying this unique and delicious coffee, then make sure it’s from a reliable source. Otherwise, you may be drinking very expensive, literal crap.
3: Hacienda La Esmeralda
- Price: $350 per pound
- Color: Light roast
- Sold Price: $350 per pound
- Flavor Notes: Bright, fruity, and floral
- Origin: Panama
This extraordinary coffee is grown in the Jammu region of Panama, on the sides of mountains. The coffee trees share their living quarters with guava trees. Legend has it that this creates a perfect pH level in the soil. Furthermore, the guava trees tower high above, meaning that the coffee can take its time nurturing in the shade. The result is utterly stupendous.
Hacienda La Esmeralda has rich flavors of jasmine, honeysuckle, and tangerine. The crisp acidity is perfectly complemented by a clean white grape finish. For these reasons, this coffee has won almost every international accolade possible for a coffee bean. Indeed, it is so delicious and satisfying it could probably even win the Nobel Peace Prize if everyone were able to get their hands on a cup.
2: Finca EL Injerto
- Price: $500 per pound
- Color: Medium roast
- Sold Price: $500 per pound
- Flavor Notes: Complex, fruity, and chocolatey
- Origin: Guatemala
These coffee beans are literally the diamonds of Central America. Grown only in a few very small mountainous regions of Guatemala, these are some of the smallest coffee beans on the planet. They are so small, they look more like dark grains of rice.
These trees are guarded day and night by heavily armed guards because each bean is worth more than most people will earn in a week. It has also been hailed for being cultivated and distributed through a system of direct trade. This increases the price but ensures environmental conservation and sustainability. A true luxurious coffee that will set you back more than $50 a cup.
1: Black Ivory Coffee
- Price: $550 per pound
- Color: Medium-dark roast
- Sold Price: $550 per pound
- Flavor Notes: Smooth, chocolatey, and earthy
- Origin: Thailand
The clue is in the name. This coffee is renowned as the finest in quality and flavor. Its cultivation method also makes it entirely unique. Much like the Kopi Luwak coffee, Black Ivory coffee must be plucked from excrement. This time, though, it’s from the dung of elephants.
The Black Ivory plantations are situated in Thailand and work in conjunction with elephant sanctuaries. The Arabica coffee beans are consumed in huge numbers by the giant mammals. During the digestion process, the elephant’s stomach acids will break down the protein in the beans and create an utterly unique, robust flavor.
The reason that these coffee beans are the most expensive in the world is because the cultivation method is very inefficient. Most of the beans consumed will be completely broken down by the elephants. In such a way, this coffee is always high in demand because it is so rare.
Most Expensive Coffee Bean
Here’s a table of the most expensive coffee beans:
| Rank | Coffee Name | Price per Pound | Color | Flavor Notes | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Ivory Coffee | $550 | Medium-dark roast | Smooth, chocolatey, and earthy | Thailand |
| 2 | Finca El Injerto | $500 | Medium roast | Complex, fruity, and chocolatey | Guatemala |
| 3 | Hacienda La Esmeralda | $350 | Light roast | Bright, fruity, and floral | Panama |
| 4 | Kopi Luwak | $160 | Medium-dark roast | Smooth, earthy, and rich | Indonesia |
| 5 | St. Elena Coffee | $79 | Medium roast | Balanced, fruity, and floral | Costa Rica |
| 6 | Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee | $55 | Light roast | Mild, sweet, and floral | Jamaica |
| 7 | Fazenda Santa Ynez | $50 | Medium roast | Smooth, caramel, and nutty | Brazil |
| 8 | Lost Planet | $40 | Medium-dark roast | Earthy, spicy, and bold | Ethiopia |
| 9 | Mia Speranza Coffee | $35 | Dark roast | Rich, chocolatey, and nutty | Italy |
| 10 | Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon | $28 | Medium roast | Sweet, fruity, and floral | Rwanda |
I hope this table is helpful! Let me know if you need any more information.
The flavor is intense, dreamy, and unlike anything else in the world. If you’re visiting Thailand, we adamantly recommend visiting the plantations and trying some for yourself, but be ready to pay upwards
FAQ’S
What is the most expensive coffee in the world?
The most expensive coffee in the world is Black Ivory Coffee, which costs around $550 per pound
Which is the world’s most expensive coffee?
The world’s most expensive coffee is Black Ivory Coffee, which costs around $550 per pound
Why is Luwak coffee so expensive?
Kopi Luwak, also known as civet coffee, is expensive due to its unique production process. The coffee cherries are eaten and excreted by Asian palm civets. The beans are then collected from the feces, cleaned, and roasted. This process is labor-intensive and results in a limited supply, driving up the price.
How much is a cup of kopi luwak?
The price of a cup of Kopi Luwak can vary significantly. It ranges from $4 for farmed varieties to up to $100 for wild varieties
What is Kopi Luwak coffee made out of?
Kopi Luwak coffee is made from coffee beans that have been eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet. The beans undergo fermentation in the civet’s digestive system, which is said to enhance the flavor.
