Have you heard of Kopi Luwak?
Often referred to as the best coffee in the world, Kopi Luwak is also among the most expensive coffee in the world. The coffee is renown due to its unusual production method, where it is made of partially digested coffee cherries from Asian palm civets – small mammals that look like a cross between a cap and a racoon.
Asian palm civets belong to the Viverridae family and are native to Sumantra. They live in the trees and are known to locals as ‘luwaks’. As omnivores, luwaks eat a broad diet ranging from insects to fruits, including berries, mangoes, and bananas. They are fond of sweet flavours and enjoy palm flower sap and coffee cherries as part of their natural diet.
Due to their selective taste, luwaks only eat the ripest and highest quality coffee cherries. Any low-quality or damaged fruits are tossed aside! This makes luwaks the gatekeepers of quality.
The coffee tree (known as coffea) where the coffee cherries come from is an evergreen flowering plant native to Africa and Asia, with a high concentration found in the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra. These islands are famed for producing top-quality coffee beans.
Image sourced from FreePik
Once consumed by the Asian palm civet, the beans undergo chemical treatments and fermentations. When a luwak eats a cherry, along with its bean, the coffee cherry and its pulp are removed. Only the coffee bean remains intact, where it passes through the animal’s digestive systems and ferments, bestowing a unique flavour to the bean.
After 24 hours, the coffee beans are exited from the animals and are collected from the jungle floor by farmers. They are then sorted, removing the defective or undersized ones and keeping only the best beans. The farmers then wash, dry, and pound the beans, taking care to remove their outer layer. Finally, skilled coffee artisans roast the beans at over 200 °C and complete the process by grinding the beans.
Kopi Luwak is extremely rare due to this unusual collection method.
What is the Kopi Luwak coffee taste?
Kopi Luwak is not a type of coffee, but a method of production. This means that the taste varies depending on the luwak consuming the bean, where the coffee beans come from, and how the beans are processed and roasted.
In the animal’s digestive system, the coffee bean gains its unique flavour. The civet’s gastric juices and enzymes increase the level of citric acid in the bean, giving it a lemony tanginess and delicate aroma.
Kopi Luwak is also known to be rich. The body of the coffee comes out with a syrupy consistency, which is also very smooth. The heavy flavour is accented with hints of caramel and chocolate that delight the senses. Its flavour has also been described as earthy, musty, and exotic.
Kupi Luwak drinkers are advised not to use sugar, milk, or cream in the coffee, as these ingredients detract from its luxurious flavour.
This Kopi Luwak set includes:
- Kopi Luwak Authentic Coffee Set 150g – Ground/ Whole Bean
- Certificate of authenticity
- Kopi Luwak trademarked cup and saucer
- A gift box
To draw out the true richness of Kopi Luwak, use a Royal Paris balancing syphon coffee machine to brew the coffee. This method avoids boiling the coffee beans, preventing a seared or bitter taste. The brewing process enhances the coffee’s naturally luxurious flavour, resulting in a rich cup of coffee that ignites a symphony of magic and taste.
When made using a Royal Paris coffee machine, Kopi Luwak is a rare and luxurious indulgence that is bound to amaze and inspire you and your guests.
