Kopi Luwak is the name for a type of luxury coffee which is famous for being the most expensive coffee in the world.

It's unique characteristic is that the coffee is digested by Civet Cats and then passed through, collected, dried, washed and roasted before being made into a premium cup of Joe.

The enzymes and gastric juices in the Civet Cat process the coffee beans and result in a unique coffee flavour which is coveted around the world.

Kopi Luwak is known by a number of names around the world including: Civet Coffee, Cat Poop Coffee and Weasel Coffee.

Kopi Luwak is an Indonesian name, coming from the words Kopi (coffee) and Luwak (Civet Cat).

Phonetically Kopi Luwak would be pronounced:

ko-pee loo-wak

OR

copy loo-wak

Kopi Luwak is traditionally found on the floor of the Jungle in its poop-embedded form. The poop is then dried, washed to separate the poop from the coffee, cleaned, roasted, and packaged. For more details see our article on how kopi luwak is produced.

We've made a full length blog post on How was Kopi Luwak Discovered.

Kopi Luwak was discovered by Indonesians working on Dutch East Indies coffee plantations some time in the 1830s. The Dutch Colonialists had imposed a system called "cultuurstelsel" or "cultivation system" which aimed to further exploit Indonesian resources as a way of boosting revenues to pay for recent wars.

Under the cultuurstelsel, laws were passed preventing Indonesian farmers from using any coffee for personal consumption. Left high and dry, the Indonesians found a way around this.

The Indonesian farmers collected civet cat poop contianing coffee beans, and washed them clean before using the beans for their coffee.

The Dutch colonialists interrogated the Indonesians to find out where they were getting the coffee from. Upon finding out and trying the coffee for themselves, they too realised that this unique process actually improved the taste of the coffee.

Following this, Kopi Luwak was exported into Europe in small quantites and exorbitant prices as a delicacy.

Kopi Luwak is typically grown in Indonesia, East Timor, The Phillippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Ethiopia.

Kopi Luwak is listed in the Guinness book of World Records as the most expensive coffee in the world.

The amount of Kopi Luwak produced each year is miniscule compared to the vast quantities of commercial coffee. The supply is limited by the number of Luwaks that are eating coffee. A sad downside of the rise in popularity of Kopi Luwak is that some farms have resorted to keeping Luwaks in captivity to increase production.

Yes! Kopi Luwak is thoroughly rinsed and washed before being roasted and brewed. Besides, if you're that worried about it being safe - this probably isn't the drink for you!

Unique taste

Smooth texture

Lacks the high acidity of typical coffee

Lots of variation in taste depending on the diet and lifestyle of the cat that ate it.

The surrounding crops can also affect the taste, which means you can get chocoloate, orange and fruity notes in your coffee!

Kopi Luwak can be drunk in any way you like. With milk, without milk, hot or cold.

It is typically drunk without milk, sugar or other additives so that the unique taste of the beans can be enjoyed.

When I first tried Kopi Luwak I had it in a Vietnamese Phin Filter - a type of drip coffee.

Other great ways to make it include with a moka pot, french press, aeropress, cold brew, or espresso machine.

The Asian Palm Civet (or Luwak as they are known in Indonesia) is a type of cat that typically lives in jungles in Asia and Africa.

They are often brown or black with spotted patterns, and unlike most cats, they have a long nose which looks more like a fox than a cat. In fact, the Asian Palm Civet is actually more closely related to a mongoose than a cat!

Kopi Luwak comes from the Asian Palm Civet.

Most coffee is fermented in the process of separating the coffee bean (or seed technically) from the coffee cherry. The fermentation is typically either dry or wet.

Dry fermentation is the process of laying out coffee cherries on mats on the floor in the sun. The fruit itself begins to decay and decompose, leaving behind the coffee bean (seed).

Wet fermentation happens in countries where water is more available. In these systems the beans are immersed in water, and ferment within the water.

The end result of both fermentation processes are similar, with the process of fermentation imparting unique flavours on the coffee beans.

Kopi Luwak on the other hand does not ferment, but rather it is the digestion by a Civet Cat which separates the coffee bean from the coffee flesh. Once separated, it is the digestive enzymes and gastric juices in the Civet Cat which change the flavour of the coffee bean.