Indonesia - Kopi Luwak

"Kopi” is the Indonesian word for coffee and the “Luwak” is the indigenous animal who plays an “active” role in the harvesting of the raw coffee cherries, which are often eaten from the coffee tree itself. The Luwak feasts on ripe, red coffee cherries seeking out the sweet taste of the cherry itself. Kopi Luwak has a very unique and distinguishable toasty smell and taste… like no other bean!

This unique coffee comes from the beans of the coffee cherries which have been eaten by the Asian Palm Civet and other related civets, then passing through its digestive tract. After passing through their intestines the beans are defecated, but the beans are still keeping their shape. After harvesting, thorough washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing, turns these beans into a less bitter and an aromatic coffee. Due to this process it has been widely noted as one of the most, if not the most, expensive coffee in the world. Not only can it be costly, but it’s also very rare and it can be seen as a very exotic coffee.

Kopi Luwak is a general name for many specific cultivars and blends of Arabica, robusta and liberica or other beans eaten by civets, hence the taste can vary greatly. In overall, Kopi Luwak has a thick texture and the taste also varies depending on the roasting levels. Usually the color of the beans range from cinnamon to medium, as there is little to none carmelization of sugars within the beans. Also, other berries that have been eaten by the civet can give the Kopi Luwak a more pungent, sometimes even a more bitter taste. It all comes down on the diet of the civet. The Kopi Luwak is mainly produced on the islands of Java, Bali, Sumatra and Sulawesi in Indonesia.