What is the Most Expensive Coffee in the World?

Did a bag of coffee beans really sell for $1,029?

Yup.

That means a brewing a single cup of coffee could cost upwards of $40, $50 or more.

Making a batch of cold brew concentrate could cost you a Grant! (Not a $50 bill—I mean an actual government-issued grant)

These are the sort of beans you grind in international waters. In your Eureka Atom. On your super yacht. Docked at a marina named after you. (On your private island.)

Alright, maybe that's a little extreme and made-up—but, seriously—fifty smackers for a cup of coffee?

It better have notes of palladium, or hazelnut or something.

But it isn't just the price tag that sets Geisha coffee apart from your average cup of joe. 

(Although, it probably mostly is.)

So, why are Panama Geisha coffee beans the most expensive coffee in the world?

For starters, the coffee beans are incredibly rare. They're only grown in a very specific region of Panama and only during certain times of the year.  In fact, fewer than 10 farms in the world produce them at all.

The coffee plants themselves are also quite delicate, which makes them difficult for farmers to grow. They're susceptible to disease and pests, and they need just the right amount of sunlight and rainfall. So even if they're successful sometimes, it can be difficult for farmers to produce a consistent crop of Geisha coffee beans.

These rarity factors make Panama Geisha coffee beans incredibly valuable. These coffee beans have a unique taste that has been described as "floral" and "fruity."

Some coffee experts believe that the coffee even has exotic flavors, like "chocolate."

I can get a floral-tasting coffee with notes of fruit and chocolate... for only $1000 a pound?

Well hey, this is the same world that brought you the world's most expensive beer ($20k a bottle) and the world's most expensive BLT sandwich covered in gold dust. ($237... wait, that's it?)

But, yes—in May of 2019, 1 pound of Panama Geisha coffee beans was sold for that record-breaking price.

If you're lucky enough to ever drink a cup of coffee that expensive, some of its proponents say you'll notice a "floral aroma" with peach and citrus flavors.

Others say that at some point after finishing a cup of Panama Geisha, a mysterious man in a white tuxedo with a limp will approach you from the shadows, look you dead in the eyes with his one good eye, and in a voice that sounds like "gravel and potholes" will simply ask, "Well—pal—was it worth it?"

Some say that how you respond to this question will be the most important decision you ever make—but that's outside the scope of this article.

If you ever get a chance to spend a thousand bucks on a pound of coffee beans, let me know how it works out for you!