Luxury coffee has officially gone off the deep end. We are now in an era where a cup of beans that passed through an elephant’s intestines can cost more than your monthly electric bill, and Dubai has a $600 latte that comes with a Guinness World Record and a side of existential crisis. 

But it’s not all hype. “Poop coffees,” like the famously expensive kopi luwak, have long been treated as a luxury flex with questionable credibility. Daily Galaxy reports that scientists identified what’s happening inside those animals’ guts that’s changing the flavor in big ways–validating the $1000 a kilo cost. That might be enough justification for the tiny, extremely wired class war playing out in your mug.

READ ALL OF OUR MUSHROOM COFFEE REVIEWS: Best Mushroom Coffees for Function-Focused Freaks

Coffee beans found in animal poop really do taste the best

A team from the Central University of Kerala analyzed beans collected from the poop of wild Asian palm civets and compared them to conventionally harvested Robusta. The results, published in Scientific Reports, showed the civet-processed beans contained significantly higher fat content and were richer in caprylic and capric acid methyl esters—fatty compounds associated with creamy, buttery, dairy-like aromas. 

This chemical twist mirrors what luxury-coffee marketing has claimed for years: that civet digestion acts like a biochemical remix. If you remember high school biology, that means enzymes, gut microbes, and slow movement through the digestive tract appear to mildly ferment the beans and amplify the flavor. You can also thank the civet for its discerning palette which helps the process–they love a good piece of fruit.   

Scientists are careful to point out that their findings were based on unroasted beans. Roasting can caramelize and transform acidity, changing flavor significantly—so the exact impact on your final cup isn’t fully mapped yet. Daily Galaxy also notes ethnical concerns as most kopi luwak is reported to be cultivated under questionable circumstances to keep up with demand. But the underlying difference is there, and it’s not imaginary. 

ALSO RELATED: ‘Home Cafes’ Are on the Rise as Going Out for Coffee Gets Too Expensive

Are There Actually Health Benefits to Poop Coffee?

Shockingly… kind of, yes, though nothing here is FDA-approved, and none of this means you should swap your therapist for a civet.

A 2024 analysis published in Scientific Reports (Central University of Kerala) backs this up: civet-processed beans contained significantly higher levels of lipid-derived flavor molecules and showed a naturally lower acidity profile compared to unprocessed Robusta. Researchers note this combination could explain why kopi luwak drinkers often describe it as smoother and easier on the stomach.

Some small studies and consumer reports also suggest:

• Lower perceived acidity: potentially easier on acid reflux
• Higher lipid content: a slower caffeine release that feels more like a “mood lift” than a jolt
• Milder bitterness: fewer stress hormones triggered in people who react strongly to harsh coffee profiles

Then there’s Black Ivory, which fans claim produces a noticeably smoother, less jittery buzz. Researchers say this likely comes from the elephant’s longer digestive tract and fermentation-like breakdown, which reduces certain compounds that normally hit your system fast and hard.

None of this makes poop coffee a wellness supplement, but the smoother chemistry is real, and some people genuinely feel better drinking it. Just… remember the ethical issues before making it your daily brew.

10 Rare and Pricy Coffees Your Hard Earned Money Can Buy

Want to dabble? Here is your field guide to some rare, pricy coffees you can actually buy and enjoy from the comfort of your own home:

Kaya Kopi Premium Kopi Luwak (Wild Civet, Indonesia)

Kopi luwak is the OG poop coffee: beans eaten and excreted by Asian palm civets, whose digestion slightly ferments the beans and can reduce bitterness. This wild-foraged version leans into that smoother, less acidic cup. Expect a low-acid, chocolatey hit that feels weirdly “soft” on your tongue—like someone low-pass filtered your usual harsh diner brew.

Black Ivory Coffee (Elephant-Digested, Thailand)

Black Ivory is the final boss of luxury coffee: Arabica cherries fed to elephants, then recovered from what politely gets called “natural processing.” It’s often cited as the most expensive coffee on Earth, with prices reaching thousands of dollars per kilo and around $500 per pound. The cup is ultra-smooth, low bitterness, more like coffee-flavored silk than a morning jolt. Some people claim it improves their mood and relaxes their muscles. 

Panama Geisha – Esmeralda Special / Private Collection

Panama Geisha from Hacienda La Esmeralda is auction coffee royalty: recent lots have gone for five-figure prices per kilo, and Geisha beans now power $600 to $1,000 record-setting cups in Dubai. In the cup: jasmine, stone fruit, honey, the whole spa menu. It doesn’t wake you up so much as make you feel like you woke up in a luxury hotel you don’t remember booking.

Elida Estate Green Tip Geisha (Lamastus, Panama)

Elida Estate Geishas have set multiple auction records and are a staple of “most expensive coffee” lists. This Green Tip Geisha is volcanic-soil, high-altitude coffee nerd catnip: hyper-floral, citrusy, and almost tea-like. It hits your brain like someone turned up the saturation on reality rather than just your heart rate.

Ninety Plus “Lycello” (Panama)

Ninety Plus is the cult label behind multiple World Brewers Cup wins. Lycello, a Gesha profile, is known for notes of lychee, oolong tea, and fresh mint, and has been used in world-championship routines. This is delicate, high-concept coffee—the kind you drink slowly while reconsidering every terrible office drip you’ve ever had.

Organic St. Helena Sea Island Coffee

Napoleon allegedly loved coffee from St. Helena during his exile, and modern versions still trade on that remote-island mythos. Grown in volcanic soil in the South Atlantic, this cup is bright, clean, caramel-and-berry and tastes like a very expensive history lesson in your mouth.

Hawaii Kona Extra Fancy

“Extra Fancy” is a bean size and grade, but here it might as well mean “will blow up your grocery budget.” This 100% Kona from top farms is limited and heavily sought after, with this grade leaning smooth, medium-bodied, with citrus acidity and spice notes. It gives you vacation-brain for 20 minutes before your inbox ruins everything again.

Jamaica Blue Mountain Estate Coffee

Blue Mountain has been marketed as a status symbol for decades, with beans grown at high altitude under strict regulations and exported in literal wooden barrels. The cup is ultra-smooth, balanced, slightly sweet, like coffee designed by a committee whose only brief was “no harshness, ever.”

Finca El Injerto Bourbon (Guatemala)

El Injerto is a perennial competition darling; its lots have fetched world-record prices at auction. 

The Stumptown offering is the relatively accessible face of that hype—think brown sugar, nuts, and fruit, with the vibe of third-wave comfort food: nerdy, but still cozy.

Elefante Black Edition (Maragogype “Unicorn” Beans)

Maragogype (giant, low-yield Arabica beans) is one of the rarest varieties grown, and this “Elefante” edition is pitched as a seasonal unicorn coffee, sun-dried in the fruit. Expect a rich, smooth, high-body cup that feels like drinking “maximalist” coffee: big beans, big flavor, big “I’m doing too much” energy.