Most Expensive Cups Of Coffee Around The World

1. Kopi Luwak

Image source: Reddit

There's a reason that Kopi Luwak is one of the most expensive coffees in the world and that is because of the way it is made.  To say the process is unique is a bit of an understatement. Coffee beans are fed to the Indonesian palm civet, it's part digested and then excreted (sorry) to make the coffee. A cup of this most unusual drink works out at $100.

2. Black Ivory

Image source: Reddit

Black Ivory coffee is made with the assistance of elephants!  It comes from a remote part of northern Thailand, where the best quality, high altitude Arabica cherries are fed to the elephants to digest - and we won't go into the further outcome!  It takes 33 kg of raw cherries to produce a single kilogram of actual coffee.  The exotic coffee is mainly sold to Michelin restaurants and works out about $50 a cup.

3. Elida Geisha Natural 1029

Image source: Roastmasters.com

It made headlines in the Press recently that Klatch Coffee Roasters, based in San Francisco, served one of the priciest cups of coffee. It was $100, made from the expensive beans of Elida Geisha Natural 1029 which have been calculated to cost $1,029 per pound. It is a part of a fourth wave of specialty coffee that has taken over in recent years.  So exclusive, only 1,600 cups are available in the world!

4. Hacienda La Esmeralda

Image source: Clarity Coffee

This coffee is brimming with awards it has won over the years. It comes from the sides of Mount Baru in Panama, is rich and flavorsome, costing around $360 per pound.  It's both sweet and acidic, with subtle floral notes. The record breaking coffee farm, which can be found in the Bouquet region of Panama, is family run by the Petersons and their Geisha coffee is famous around the Globe.

5. Super Venti Flat White

Image source: Money Inc.Back in 2017, when William E. Lewis Jr. paid a visit to Washington DC for the Presidential Inauguration, he went to Bethesda, Maryland so he could try out the Super Venti Flat White.  Not cheap, the (giant) cup cost $149. The hot drink contained 170 espresso shots, 11,250 mg of caffeine, coconut milk and three ristretto shots of Super Venti flat white.  It will have kept him awake for weeks!

6. Starbucks Quadriginoctuple Frap

Image source: DrinksFeed

What do you normally order at Starbucks?  Maybe it's a cappuccino or a shot of espresso to wake you up. If you have $47.30 in loose change, try out the Quadriginoctuple Frap.  You can enjoy this frappuccino with caramel ice cream, vanilla chips, bananas, strawberries, caramel, protein powder and soybean mocha. It should fill you up for a good while!

7. Finca El Injerto

Image source: Crema Coffee Garage

Finca El Injerto was awarded the Best Coffee of Guatemala in 2021 and you'll easily understand why if you are ever lucky enough to try the drink. Costing $525 per pound, it's made from rare, rich, small beans. They are thoroughly washed through different processes and this improves the quality of the grain and ultimately, the wonderful taste of the finished product.

8. Ospina

 Image source: Business Insider

Ospina coffee has been around for centuries, literally five generations. Made from Arabica Typica beans that are grown in the tropical forests of the Andes, the beans are known for their attractive shade. The mountain slopes, which are full of volcanic ash, means there is a great soil fertiliser to create the warm and nutty flavour of the coffee. It sells for $800 per 250 grams.

9. Jamaican Blue Mountain

Image source: Teahouse Emporium

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is cultivated 5000 feet on the Jamaican Blue Mountains (hence its name!)  and has a mild taste, not bitter at all, so will appeal to many coffee lovers. Vast imports of this coffee travel to Japan where it is pretty much a staple of the locals.  It is expensive and the beans to make a single cup will be about $15.

10. Saint Helena

Image source: The Saint Cooks

Named after the island where it is cultivated, Saint Helena, the remote location is the main reason why this coffee has an expensive price tag.  It is delicious, with a caramel flavor and just a hint of citrus to get those taste buds tingling.  Saint Helena's coffee is still growing in popularity and so is the cost of it.  You should expect to pay around $17 for a cup.

11. Hawaiian Kona

Image source: koacoffee.com

Hawaiian Kona is made up from a rare variety of coffee beans and often only for a limited period of time. There is a speciality range which includes Kona Peaberry, one of the most popular in the selection. This coffee received a massive 93 points in a coffee review so the proof is in the tasting!  Hawaiian Kona regularly makes the finals in the Roaster of the Year competitions.

12. Hacienda El Roble

Image source: Daily Coffee News 

Hacienda El Roble will cost you around $100 a pound and is one of those rare coffees that, once you've tried it, Costa Coffee will never taste the same again!  A mere 22 kilograms of the coffee is produced in Columbia each year so you won't see it flooded across the markets. The producers use a unique fermentation process which they have done for many years.

13. Genuine Molokai

Image source: Marketing91

Molokai coffee is expensive but Genuine Molokai is next level and there is always a great demand for it from coffee drinkers who treat their caffeine drink as a fine wine.  It costs around $90 per pound and the Red Catuai is one of the best. It is an Arabica variety, adores the red soils found in the region and gifts us with a rich coffee flavor that is spot on.

14. Fazenda Santa Inês

Image source: Financeonline.com

Fazenda Santa Ines coffee grows in Brazil, at the foot of the Mantiqueira mountains. The coffee has a sweet taste with citrus notes and quite a low acidity.  It was created by the Pereira family in 1979 and costs $15 an ounce. This hot drink set a world record by scoring 95.85 in the Cup of Excellence Brazil.  There are great coffee growing conditions in South Minas.

15. Greenwell Organic

Image source: Sophia Secondary 

The stunning, highest mountains in Nepal are more than just a sight to admire. They produce amazing coffee!  This is why Greenwell Organic coffee produce such a wonderful brew.  It's produced in small batches as they believe in quality rather than quantity. This, of course, hikes up the price which, at the moment, is costing round $120 per pound. It's expensive but worth it!

16. Mi Esperanza

Image source: BeanLove

Mi Esperanza comes from Honduras and this is a country that is continually becoming a fabulous coffee growing region.  Honduran coffee does not have a bitter aftertaste which is common in many others.  Its main flavor profile consists of fruits, nuts and spices and it should be sipped, not gulped down.  It has an impressive price tag of $100 per pound.

17. Molokai

Image source: The CommonsCafe

This Hawaiian coffee on our list, Molokai coffee, originates from a smaller island of the same name. The coffee was first discovered in the early 1800s in Molokai but it did not become a commercial commodity until the 1980s. The bean is called the red catuai and grows on the volcanic soils.  This gives it a sharper taste and puts it on the heavier roast category. It costs around $80 per pound.

18. Elida Geisha 803

Image source: CTV News Toronto

Based in the Southern region of San Francisco, Klatch Coffee Roasters were selling one of their most expensive cups of coffee at $75 and that was the Elida Geisha 803. Very rare, they were only marketing a hundred pounds in weight. Coffee connoisseurs couldn't wait to get their hands on it and it didn't come cheap. It worked out at $75 for one cup.

19. Los Planes

Image source: Fupping

Head over to El Salvador and you will find Los Planes, a home grown family owned coffee plantation.  It has won many awards and rightly so if you ever get to taste it.  It's available in different flavors which is uncommon but exciting. There's tangerine with caramel and brown sugar threads which is totally delicious. Los Planes has a loyal customer base who are happy to pat $70 per pound for a bit of luxury.

20. Difference Coffee Company

Image source: Front Row Society

There is a coffee shop in London, England, which sells the most expensive cup of coffee in the United Kingdom.  It's £50 (English pounds) a cup and there are only 15 servings available. Based in the affluent Mayfair district, "Queens of Mayfair" is owned by two sisters, Grace and Victoria Shepherd and the coffee in question is from a range called Difference Coffee Company.

21. Hawaiian Peaberry Coffee

Image source: Kona Coffee Buzz

If you enjoy a concentrated flavor when sipping your coffee and you don't mind paying $45 a pound for the pleasure, then treat yourself and try the Hawaiian Peaberry coffee.  It's a rare gem and the small, round beans are found in Kona coffee. It is grown on Mauna Loa's slopes and this contributes towards the exquisite coffee experience that's waiting for you.

22. Stumptown Coffee's Panama Esmeralda Especial

Image source: I Need Coffee

$350 per pound is a hefty price to pay for a pound of coffee but Stumptown's Panama Esmeralda Especial is no ordinary coffee. It boasts limited production because of the meticulous processing and has a mixture of fruity and floral notes. It has been described as vibrant and a coffee connoisseur's dream. Not being available at all times has also created more demand.

23. Starbucks Reserve Costa Rica Finca Palmilera

-

Image source: HuffPost

We think our beloved Starbucks deserves a mention. So we know it's not up there with the mega coffee beans but, to be truthful, the $7 a cup Reserve Costa Rica Finca Palmilera is a bit of a treasure.  It's grown in volcanic soil, has cocoa and citrus flavors and has a limited cultivation. The fact that you can treat yourself and feel a million dollars without breaking the bank is quite something.

24.Timor-Leste

Image source: Macao Magazine

The Timor-Leste coffee from East Timor, is known for its great flavor, somewhat intriguing and unique. Timor-Leste is in south east Asia and the secret to the quality of the coffee beans is the area it is cultivated, by rich culture and stunning landscapes. The coffee costs around $80 per pound and should be ordered in advance due to its popularity.

25.Burundi Kibingo

Image source: Blue Bottle Coffee

Burundi Kibingo coffee can be described as being distinct and quite complex.  It encapsulates many flavors, mainly fruity and spicy, with a slight kick but not bitter, as many coffee beans tend to be. Enjoying this particular coffee should be treated as an experience and not consumed because you need that extra caffeine hit. It cost about $65 per pound.

26.Rwanda Dukunde Kawa

Image source: Bean Box

Rwanda Dukunde Kawa coffee is one that, once tasted, is never forgotten.  It is cultivated in Rwanda's highlands and has an exceptional flavor, whatever your coffee preference. It has a spicy note to it but not overpowering and strange to say, has a tea-like nuance to it.  Rwanda, is fast gaining attention for Dukunde Kawa coffee because of reviews from the professionals. You'll pay about $65 a pound for it.

27.Peruvian Tunki

Image source: Reuters

Grown in the Puno region, Peruvian Tunki coffee is stunning.  It has a slight butterscotch and chocolate flavor to it and is perfect with hot, steamed milk. This is so different from other coffees which should be drunk without milk to appreciate the quality and taste.  It's quite mild but the aroma hits your nostrils like a comfort blanket.  For about $10 a cup this could be yours.

28.Arabian Mocha

Image source: Sprudge

Coffee from Yemen with a rich and chocolaty flavor, the Arabian Mocha coffee comes from Yemen and has that rich chocolatey flavor that instantly puts you in a good mood.  The coffee brings with it tales of the spice trade and offers different tastes with the more sips you take. If you don't yearn for a strong coffee that leaves the spoon standing up on its own, then definitely try this one. It works out at about $60 a pound.

29.Monsooned Malabar

Image source: Insider

Monsooned  Malabar gets its name as it is exposed to the monsoon winds in India.  This helps it deliver its own taste character. It is unique and definitely earthy, having been produced using meticulous processes. At $45 a pound, it won't break the bank if you drink it at times when you feel you need to savor a taste and contemplate life. Well, that's what I do!

30.Ethiopian Yirgacheffe

Image source: Barista Life

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe is a real gem. Grown in Ethiopia (hence the name!) it has a mixture of citrus and floral notes to it and is very drinkable. It  is hand grown in the highlands, hand picked and hand washed. It totally embodies the coffee heritage of this country and at $30 a pound it is one of the cheaper recommendations available. You really should try it.