Kopi Luwak

Ah, the Asian Palm Civet. Who would have thought that man would pay attention enough to the feces of this small mammal to notice the undigested coffee beans? I don't think I would have, but some people did and now for some reason the beans that have passed through this creature are the most expensive in the world. Who in their right mind would purchase these beans, or even a cup of coffee made from said beans before knowing if they would like it or not? Would you slap down fifty greenbacks for a 6oz. cup of Kopi Luwak coffee? I wouldn't. Thankfully, I don't have to now. Yes! It's true. I have now tasted this coffee with my own mouth, almost (being quite figurative here) straight from the Civet's rear. How? My roommate, the equitable Tyler J.S. Cronk has a friend from(or is) Indonesia(n) who gifted us with an entire bag. It may weigh a pound and thus, I was holding somewhere between $120 and $600 worth of Civet crap on Tuesday in my hand. Wow.

So, you're wondering what it tastes like? It has a very different brewing aroma than I'm used to and also has an even stronger smell in my cup. Doing my best to realize that what I'm about to drink has passed through the mouth, stomach, and anus of another animal, I gently sip the concoction. It has a seemingly floral and nutty flavor while at the same time not having either, if you follow me. I can't place it. It was definitely unique. Hold it! It was then that it hit me. After swallowing, I had very little to no coffee taste in my mouth. There was no bitter coffee taste. I was shocked by its strangeness. I sipped again just to make sure I wasn't mad and indeed, after four straight days, I can tell you this coffee does not leave very much taste in your mouth. I was amazed and so went to the Fount of All Knowledge and Wisdom (aka Wikipedia) to find out the reason. Apparently, the Civet's digestive track breaks down the protein responsible for coffee bitterness. Seeing my question answered satisfactorily, I stopped my research and so could be completely wrong. Oh well.

So, is it worthy of the title 'most expensive coffee in the world'? Well, I can see why it would cost so much due to labor and expense, but I don't think it's expensive because it is so frickin' good. It's your standard cup of joe with a different flavor, that's all. So if you're in it for the experience or are trying to impress some hot girls somewhere, go ahead and pay out the nose for a cup. But I don't think you'll be too wowed or amazed.

Fount of All Knowledge and Wisdom Link