We coffee aficionados tend to focus more on the taste and quality of our beans rather than the price itself. After all, you can’t really put a price tag on a good cup of joe.
However, when the price tag rises to hundreds or even thousands of dollars(SGD) per kilogram, are you willing to pay that much for these following premium beans?
1. Black Ivory Coffee – SGD 1530 Per Kilogram
Most people have probably heard of this one before. If you haven’t, the Black Ivory Coffee hails from Thailand and is produced by feeding coffee cherries to elephants. The acid in the elephants’ stomachs breaks down the cherries and infuses them with flavour, before then excreted, collected, and processed.
Only a few cherries survive the digestion process since most are fragmented, chewed, or lost after excretion. This explains why the price per kilogram is at an astronomical SGD 1530 per kg.
2. Finca El Injerto Coffee – SGD 1530 Per Kilogram
The only coffee bean that could match our previous entry in terms of price is the Finca El Injerto Coffee. This very rare and rich coffee bean is known for its amazing quality and characteristics, which explains its price tag.
3. Hacienda La Esmeralda Coffee – SGD 1070 Per Kilogram
Next on our list is the Hacienda La Esmeralda Coffee. This coffee bean is grown and cultivated in Panama, specifically on the slopes of Mt. Baru under the shade of guava trees. Its exquisite flavour and the delicate cultivation technique explains why this coffee bean is priced at an eye-watering SGD 1070 per kilogram.
4. Kopi Luwak Coffee – SGD 490 Per Kilogram
Another coffee bean that is processed through an animal’s digestive system (we’re sensing a pattern here) is the Kopi Luwak Coffee. This exotic coffee bean, an iconic product of Indonesia, is produced by feeding coffee cherries to Asian palm civets.
The enzymes in their digestive systems produce distinct and rich characteristics to the cultivated coffee beans, so it is of no surprise that they are sold at SGD 490 per kilogram.
5. Saint Helena Coffee – SGD 240 Per Kilogram
As alluded to in its name, Saint Helena Coffee hails from the tiny island of Saint Helena. The main reason for its steep price is the high transport costs, since the island is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
However, the coffee itself is of very good quality, with a caramel – like flavour and citrusy after – taste.
6. Molokai Coffee – SGD 155 Per Kilogram
Molokai Coffee is a famous coffee bean from Hawaii. It is hands – down the best coffee bean grown on the island, with the advanced skills and techniques needed to properly grow it leading to its high price tag.
7. Fazenda Santa Inês Coffee – SGD 153 Per Kilogram
Our next entry is one with over a hundred years of history. The Fazenda Santa Inês Coffee Bean has been cultivated for over a century on the sides of Brazil’s Mantiqueira mountains. Its fruity flavour makes it perfect for those who hate the bitterness of most coffees.
8. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee – SGD 153 Per Kilogram
Very popular in Japan, this coffee bean is grown at a height of approximately 1500 metres on the heights of the Jamaican Blue Mountains, where there is an abundance of rain. It has a fairly mild taste, so just like the previous entry this coffee bean is a great choice if you dislike bitter coffee.
9. Los Planes Coffee – SGD 122 Per Kilogram
The Los Planes Coffee Bean won second place in 2006 and sixth place in the 2011 Cup of Excellence, a prestigious competition pitting the best coffees around the world, so there is no doubting its quality. Coffee made from this coffee bean is very refreshing due to its subtle caramel, tangerine, and brown sugar taste.
10. Mi Esperanza Coffee – SGD 107 Per Kilogram
And finally, our last coffee bean on the list is the Mi Esperanza Coffee, priced at SGD 107 per kg. It is a favourite among coffee fanatics due to its rich taste. Mi Esperanza Coffee Beans also come in a variety of flavours such as berries, spices, fruits, and nuts which further elevates the drinking experience.
