Alexandr
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Luwak coffee in Vietnam is a kind of “highlight” of the country, intriguing the minds of coffee gourmets. The world's most expensive coffee is produced here, in a poor country in Southeast Asia.
But let's talk about everything in order. Agree, for those who have not yet been to Vietnam, this country is associated with anything, but not with an invigorating drink. And, seeing statements that excellent coffee is grown and prepared here, you immediately want to check this information.
Some nice statistics
Vietnam ranks first in the world in coffee production. Yes, leading Brazil is now in second position. Where did the Vietnamese get this wonderful drink? Like the love for baguette, from the French. It was they who first brought coffee beans to the country in 1857.
And today the Vietnamese simply love coffee. By the way, tourists are also not far behind them and are happy to start their day with a cup of iced coffee. Yes, yes, cold. Do not be surprised! This is one of the local features. Be sure to try it! There are two main varieties of coffee beans in Vietnam: Robusta and Arabica. Robusta is more popular, but both varieties are often mixed together in different proportions. And each manufacturer has its own secrets, ranging from the degree of roasting to the addition of various special ingredients.
Now let's move on to the legendary luwak variety (from the English “luwak”).
What's special about it?
The second common name for this type of coffee is Kopi Luwak. It is considered one of the most valuable and unique in the world. And every coffee lover has heard about this drink, even if he hasn’t tried it yet. Admiring gourmets say: elite, premium, with a soft, unique taste, with notes of caramel, with a subtle aroma of chocolate and vanilla, and finally, the most expensive in the world...
One cup of this coffee in a Dalat cafe, for example, costs about 700 rubles.
How can you not want to taste it! But first I would like to know what this “elite beast” is. And yes, further our story will go mainly about animals. More precisely, about small furry animals. “What does coffee have to do with it?” - you ask. Yes, it’s true, it’s hard to imagine that animals can do it. But this is true. However, this could not have happened without the help of specially trained people.
“Elite beast”, or the main secret of the famous variety
Musangs - producers of famous coffee
So, meet this wonderful animal with the unusual names musang, civet or palm marten. It is in this animal and in the unusual production technology, and not in the type of coffee beans, that the main secret and uniqueness of the famous Luwak lies.
Amazing civets eat berries from coffee plantations. But only their pulp is digested, and the grains come out naturally along with the droppings. And specially trained personnel carefully collect, wash and dry the raw materials to create an exclusive drink. But we hasten to assure you that excrement does not affect the coffee beans themselves. There is no unpleasant smell, but exactly the opposite. Otherwise, who would drink this, and at an elite price too?!
The main value of these Vietnamese animals is that coffee beans undergo special fermentation in their stomach. And the bitterness that is characteristic of grains disappears from them.
That is why the famous Vietnamese Luwak coffee has such a delicate and unique taste.
Do you want a legend in the best Asian traditions?
Telling how the amazing properties of Luwak coffee were unexpectedly discovered.
It is believed that musangs choose only the most delicious grains.
A terrible disaster befell one peasant family: wild musangs completely ate the harvest of ripe grains for sale. But the Vietnamese miraculously discovered undigested grains and were able to obtain coffee from animal feces. Extreme poverty forced the peasants to wash this find and, after roasting it, put it up for sale as regular coffee. And their surprise was great, because an incredibly delicious taste was obtained!
Reviews
Angelina: I was in Bali myself, I saw these luwak with my own eyes - such cute little animals with white stripes on their faces. I tried coffee made from poop right on the farm. It was really very aromatic, tender, tasty... I bought several packs, fortunately the price is not as high as at home. But I was very disappointed. I didn’t feel that chocolate and vanilla flavor and natural sweetness in the drink. Probably, they serve the guests the best, but sell...
Marina: I read somewhere that you can feel the taste and aroma of real Luwak only if there is at least 60% of it in the pack. I read many articles about it, where it was said that already the first wholesalers dilute it with the usual mixture of Arabica and Robusta by almost half. It’s scary to imagine what we, the end consumers, drink. So far, I haven’t risked buying this expensive product from us.
Olga: I won’t even think about the fact that rodents poop out the coffee, and we drink it. Because I still won’t stop drinking it... it has such a thick and airy foam that doesn’t disappear even when you pour the drink from the Turk into a cup. The sweetness is natural, no sugar needed. The aroma is amazing.
Igor: I didn’t feel anything that attracts me to coffee - no strength, no bitterness, no alluring aroma. Something soft, almost faceless, not mine...
How is Luwak coffee made today?
Nowadays, producing exclusive coffee from animal feces is difficult and expensive. The cost of Luwak coffee, which is collected in the wild, is the highest. Searching for and collecting grains under these conditions is very difficult. Therefore, entire farms have appeared in Vietnam, where they specially breed animals and give them plenty of ripe coffee berries to eat. However, this process also requires significant financial costs, as well as hard farm labor. All raw materials that emerge from the animal’s digestive tract are collected by hand, and then each grain is carefully washed and only then dried.
Black tusk
Another product that can challenge the title of the most expensive coffee in the world is Black Tusk. It is produced in Thailand and three regions in the Maldives. Already from the name it is clear which animal is an important link in the coffee production chain. This is an elephant. He is also not averse to eating coffee berries.
The coffee production technology is similar to the Indonesian Kopi Luwak. The elephant eats grains, or rather berries, which, passing through the digestive tract, undergo a kind of fermentation. Next, they are extracted from the feces, washed, dried and fried. Digested grain in a volume of 1 kg is obtained from more than 30 kg of berries.
The elephant loves fruits and berries, so Black Ivory has a mixture of their tastes and aromas
The drink made from taki grains has a rich fruity taste and aroma, it contains floral, chocolate and nutty notes at the same time. There is no bitterness, but no sourness either. It is gentle and soft, as a good Arabica should be. This variety of coffee is known throughout the world as Black Ivory; its price reaches $500–600 per 500 grams.
How to brew Luwak correctly?
In many countries, coffee is brewed in Turks, and they also use modern coffee makers and coffee machines. These methods are not common in Vietnam.
Vietnamese teapots, condensed milk and ice.
Before trying Luwak, like any other variety, you must perform the following traditional ritual:
- You will need the so-called fin. This device is somewhat reminiscent of a mini drip teapot. It consists of a small metal cup with holes in the bottom, a round saucer also with holes, a kind of press and a lid.
- Place the flat saucer on the mug first, and then the glass itself.
- Pour a small amount of coffee into a glass. You need to leave room for water.
- Place a press on top, but you don’t need to press hard.
- Pour hot water, cover with a lid.
- Wait until the fragrant contents of the glass appear in the mug, drop by drop.
- Drink and enjoy!
Of course, you can brew coffee in a more conventional way, but to fully experience the magic of the Vietnamese drink, we recommend following local technology.
As we wrote above, in Vietnam coffee is traditionally served with ice, with condensed milk added if desired. Chilled green tea is also served along with it. These are the local traditions!
For a better taste experience, we recommend tasting without sugar. At least for starters. And most importantly, take your time, imagine that the moment has stopped! This is exactly what the Vietnamese do - they sit in a coffee shop for a long, long time, in absolutely no hurry.
Where to buy in Vietnam?
Buying coffee in Vietnam is not difficult, since it is the favorite drink of the local population and tourists. As in many other resort towns, coffee in Nha Trang is sold in small shops, as well as in specialized stores. And the assortment is amazing. Different varieties, ground and beans - choose to your taste. Almost everywhere, when you buy coffee beans in bulk, if you wish, they will grind it right in front of you and then beautifully package it. Moreover, you can not only enthusiastically inhale the alluring aroma of coffee, but also arrange a real tasting right on the spot. And without any fear that the purchased variety will not be to your taste. Try first, buy later! You can also buy coffee in supermarkets, but, as a rule, the choice there is not very rich.
Read more about shopping in our articles:
- Shopping centers in Nha Trang;
- Markets of Nha Trang.
Price
The world market is not pampered with large quantities of Kopi Luwak. Every year, only a few hundred kilograms come to auction for valuation and sale. The largest buyers of this product are the Japanese, who buy the bulk of the product. They love coffee in Europe and America. In Russia it can also be found in specialized stores. On average, the price for 500 g of whole grains on the world market reaches $300, with a maximum of $500.
Luwak coffee is called Chon in Vietnam.
The cheapest is Vietnamese coffee Luwak. It can be purchased for $30 in 100 g packaging. In Sumatra, directly in the region of production, a kilogram of the product can be purchased for $70-150. For comparison, in expensive European hotels one cup of this coffee costs from $50.
Why is Luwak coffee cheaper in Vietnam? In this country, it is inexpensive for a European to live and relax; products, including elite coffee, cost several times lower than in Europe. In the last decade, Vietnam has gradually become a world leader in coffee production in general. Here, more and more land is being developed for coffee plantations. The climate allows harvesting almost without interruption all year round. Coffee from Vietnam has fruity notes and is brewed differently than in Europe. Here they use a filter funnel, which is placed in a cup, ground grains are poured in and hot water is poured in (temperature 80°C).
Coffee prices
The price of Luwak coffee reaches $1,200 per kg.
In the Vietnamese town of Dalat, such coffee can be found for 250,000 dong per glass. In other countries, the price of this coffee ranges from 250 to 1200 dollars per kg.
How much does coffee cost? The question is quite common, but it is not easy to answer. There are a lot of manufacturers, and the varieties are also varied. And the price for products of the same brand, albeit slightly, may differ depending on the specific place of purchase. But don’t worry, you will definitely choose your variety, which will be ideal in terms of price and quality. You won’t meet a tourist who hasn’t brought coffee from Vietnam, either out of love for the drink or simply as a souvenir.
And if you've been wanting to try exclusive Luwak coffee, you may have to spend a little money. However, imagine how bright that moment will be when, on a gloomy autumn morning, its amazing aroma, albeit for a moment, will return you to sunny Vietnam.
Types of Flavored Coffee
Whether you prefer to drink your coffee in the morning, afternoon or evening, we have a flavored coffee to suit every moment of your busy day.
Which one will you like? Choose!
Vanilla flavored coffee
Do you like to laze on the beach in the summer while enjoying vanilla ice cream? But what if the weather is cold and dreary, and a trip to the sea is out of the question?
In this case, we recommend you coffee with vanilla flavor, which will give you the nostalgic taste of summer ice cream. A nice bonus: regardless of the weather, without leaving home and with much less calories consumed!
We are confident that you will be able to find a suitable option with us. It's a great alternative to sweet treats, and we even recommend this coffee for an evening dessert after dinner with friends!
Irish cream liqueur flavored coffee
Irish Cream Coffee is a great drink, with the taste of your favorite liqueur, but without the alcohol.
Irish cream is popular all over the world, but its alcoholic component is not always appropriate in life. You will be able to appreciate all its exquisite notes, enjoy the wonderful aftertaste, but avoid an unpleasant headache in the morning!
Unlike real Irish Cream, flavored coffee is a socially acceptable drink that you can use to start (not end!) your day. Ideal for breakfast with a croissant (or maybe two?)
Coffee with hazelnut flavor
Hazelnut is, by all accounts, the most common flavor for flavored coffee. It can be found on the menus of stores and coffee shops around the world.
Coffee with hazelnut aroma, which is offered by our online store Kofe.ru, is nothing less than quality and excellent taste in every sip. This is an amazing nutty aroma and excellent coffee for any part of your work or weekend day. The choice is yours!
Chocolate flavored coffee
This drink is a real, hedonistic pleasure after a long, tiring day. It is ideal for the evening, although, like hazelnut-flavored coffee, it is good at any time of the day.
Coffee with chocolate flavor will give you a real delight, because its rich, bright and slightly creamy taste will excite you with every sip. The tempting aftertaste will make you a real fan of this coffee.
But, of course, you shouldn’t limit yourself to flavored coffee when our online store Kofe.ru offers more than a hundred different types of coffee. Our extensive range is sure to offer you something to suit your taste.
