A couple weeks ago I found out two things: 1) that Klatch Coffee became the only roastery in the United States to have acquired the most expensive coffee in the world and 2) that there are world record-breaking coffee competitions.
That’s Kind-Of Insane
The Elida Geisha 803 sold for $803 per pound and the Elida Geisha 97+ sold for $661 per pound! It earned the highest score in Best of Panama history at the Best of Panama competition early this year.
Last year’s record breaking coffee was the Esmeralda Geisha 601 that sold for $601. Can you imagine what a cup of coffee would cost at your favorite local coffee shop? Around $75.
What Makes It So Regal
Geisha coffees traditionally earn the highest scores in the Best of Panama and other world wide competitions. Both geishas earned the highest scores in aroma, fragrance, flavor and after-taste earning the highest scores in Best of Panama history.
Klatch Coffee Founder and Owner Mike Perry was one of six international judges in the competition who gave the Elida Washed Geisha 661 a 97+ score, the highest score ever given to one coffee.
“In 25 years of cupping coffee,the Elida Geisha 661 is the best cup I’ve ever enjoyed and the highest score I’ve ever given.Sweet, clean and complex with so many flavors, including jasmine, sugarcane, candied orange, peach, bergamot, cherry, raspberry, blackberry and more. It’s a true Unicorn Geisha and we’re fortunate to get some to share with our friends and coffee lovers in the U.S. To find out after the blind tasting that our longtime friend and direct trade partner Wilford Lamastus was responsible for producing this superior bean is just icing on the cake,” said Perry.
What It Tastes Like
Maintaining a fruit-forward tone characteristic of a geisha varietal, the Elida Natural Geisha 803 offers notes of jasmine, bergamot, sweet berries, and more, while the Elida Geisha 661 boasts flavors of stone fruits like apricot and nectarine, as well as citrusy orange and mango.
How To Get It
If you’re like me and dying to try anyways, Klatch Coffee will ship packages of the rare coffee beans with instructions on how to properly brew to coffee lovers within the US. One 15-gram package of whole beans (enough for one 8 oz. cup) costs $75 or both coffees for $125. All purchases come with a special edition mug to co-sign and stunt on the gram that you did in fact taste the world’s most expensive coffee.
Photo Credit: Tyler Nix
