The most expensive coffee in the world. Kopi Luwak

If the price of this coffee already seems surprising, about 400 euros a kilo, it is even more so if you know how it is obtained.  We warn you, its manufacturing process is not suitable for delicate stomachs.

At the present time Kopi Luwak is the most expensive variety of coffee in the world. It is produced mainly in Indonesia, although you can also find small producers in the Philippines, Vietnam and south India.

The United States of America and Japan are the biggest consumers of this luxurious coffee. Even so, its fame has grown exponentially in the last few years and its consumption has extended to many other places.

Given its prohibitive price, not too many people have had the good fortune to taste it.  However, if you are thinking of trying it, you might change your mind when you discover how it is made.

The grains of this coffee are collected from the stools of a small cat-like mammal called Civet which lives in south east Asia. 

It seems that these little animals devour the mature coffee fruit and, subsequently, excrete its partially digested grain.  The enzymes present in their stomach chemically modify the coffee adding flavor and breaking up the proteins that cause its bitterness.

Producers of civet coffee collect the grains manually from the stools, select and carefully clean them. Finally, they toast the grains like any other variety of coffee.

So, you still want to try it?