The subject of the best coffee in the world is a frequent discussion among coffee lovers. Everyone has their tastes and preferences, but everyone enjoys splurging on a high-quality cup of coffee. Some coffees have unique flavours and nuances that are not accessible to everyone due to financial and sensory limitations.
It is impossible to identify one specific type of coffee or variety as the ultimate “best coffee beans in the world.” In this article, I will explore some of the most frequently cited options for this title, and it can be said that the best coffees in the world in 2023 are included in these examples.
What is the best coffee in the world in 2023?
We present to you our list of what we believe are the best coffees in the world, but it is important to note that the ranking is not in any specific order. The choice of the best coffee for you ultimately depends on your preferences.
- “360° rundum ehrlich” (360° Truly Honest) Premium Coffee
- Green Coffee Beans Brazil Lagoa (Highland raw Coffee Beans 1000g)
Guilis Black Blend
Guilis Black Blend is a strong contender for the title of the best coffee bean in the world. Although it may not be the most expensive coffee available, its quality puts it in a league of its own and earns it recognition among the most exclusive coffee varieties.
Guilis is a Spanish company specialising in premium coffees for the hotel industry. They only source raw materials from the best coffee-growing regions in the world.
Among the many high-quality coffees produced by Guilis, “the Black Blend” is considered the best and most exclusive. This coffee is made from a blend of five specialities of origin, all 100% natural Arabica beans, and is sold in a stunning black can. The price for a can ranges from £80 to 90 pounds.
Black Ivory
When it comes to the best coffee, Black Ivory deserves to be on every list. This coffee, made from elephant dung, may sound unusual, but it is a common practice in the coffee industry.
Black Ivory Coffee is produced exclusively in Thailand by Black Ivory Coffee LTD. The beans are hand-picked and processed like other coffees made from beans that have passed through an animal’s digestive system. This process gives the coffee its unique flavour.
Most of the production of Black Ivory coffee is reserved for luxury hotels in Southeast Asia, with only a small percentage available to the public. The total production of Black Ivory coffee in 2016 was 125 kilograms, and it takes 33 kilos of coffee beans to produce just one kilogram of Black Ivory coffee. The company also donates 8% of its annual sales to an elephant care foundation in Asia.
Although Black Ivory is considered one of the rarest coffees in the world, its production is so limited that prices vary greatly from year to year and from crop to crop. This makes it a frequent contender for the world’s title of the most expensive coffee.
Kopi Luwak Coffee
Kopi Luwak, a civet coffee, comes presented in a beautifully crafted wooden box accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Kopi Luwak International.
Over the years, this coffee has earned the reputation of being “the world’s most expensive coffee.” This is due to its low production and the challenging harvesting process in Indonesia.
Only coffee beans found in the excrement of wild civets in specific regions of Indonesia (and some other isolated areas of Southeast Asia) are considered Kopi Luwak beans. Creating these beans is similar to other animal-droppings coffees, where the civet eats the coffee cherries but can’t digest them. The beans are then collected from the faeces, washed, stripped of their outer layers, and processed as any other coffee.
The magic of Kopi Luwak lies in the civet’s digestive tract, which enhances the aromas of the coffee beans. Roasting is done lightly to preserve as much of the intricate flavour profile that results from the civet’s digestive process. Prices for Kopi Luwak have reached up to £900 per kilogram, making it a bold choice for those daring enough to try it.
Malongo Blue Mountain
The Malongo Blue Mountain is a highly regarded coffee grown in Jamaica and primarily exported to Japan. The key to its distinction is the specific growing conditions, characterized by its high altitude of 2,000 meters and a unique balance of rain, humidity, shade, and sunlight.
This coffee is produced through traditional methods, including handpicking, drying and roasting, contributing to its high-quality taste.
Malongo Blue Mountain coffee comes in different varieties, each carefully tested to meet quality standards. The most sought-after types include Blue Mountain Peaberry, Roasted Ground, and Whole Bean. These speciality coffee varieties are only available through Malongo, a company specialising in gourmet coffee products. The price of Malongo Blue Mountain coffee starts at £200 per kilo.
Saula Gran Espresso Premium
The Spanish company Saula is known for its high-quality coffee. Their star product is the Saula Gran Espresso Premium, made from a carefully curated blend of organic Arabica beans. Three variations are available: the Premium Organic Grand Espresso, the Premium Bourbon Grand Espresso, and a decaf option.
Saula offers the Gran Espresso Premium in two formats: whole beans in a large can or ground coffee in a smaller, vacuum-sealed package. You can purchase it directly from their website or in the ground coffee format from select online stores. However, finding Saula coffee beans outside the company’s distribution channels can be challenging.
Saula is synonymous with quality coffee, and the Gran Espresso Premium embodies that reputation. The coffee is carefully crafted using only the finest organic Arabica beans and comes in three variations to cater to different preferences. The coffee can be purchased in either whole bean or ground form and is available through Saula’s website and select retail locations.
Misha Coffee, by Highland
Misha, named after the Peruvian coati, is a unique coffee known for its high price tag. Producing Misha coffee starts with the coati eating the coffee plant’s fruits, which are not digested but concentrated with flavours from other foods it consumes in the jungle.
The beans are then manually separated from the animal’s excrement and processed for human consumption. The beans are washed, roasted, and prepared to eliminate any trace of dirt, ensuring they are safe for human consumption.
Chanchamayo Highland Coffee, marketed by Highland Products Ltd, is the technical name for Misha coffee. Coffee is known for its unique taste and aroma, attributed to the animal that produces it. However, the high price of Misha coffee is also due to its limited production, as a coati only produces between 8 and 10 grams of coffee per day. The annual production of Misha coffee is said not to exceed 500 kilos.
Misha coffee is available in two formats: beans and ground coffee, both of which can be purchased directly from the producer’s website. The ground coffee format is also available in some large stores, while the beans are more difficult to find through other distributors.
Geisha coffee from Hacienda la Esmeralda
Another of the best coffees globally, Geisha coffee, is produced by Hacienda la Esmeralda and comes from the Boquete region in Panama, where it is grown under the shade of the ancient guava trees on an area of no more than 100 hectares. Again, the peculiarities of the soil (always at an altitude of over 1600 metres above sea level) and the region’s climatic conditions give these Geisha coffee beans a unique taste and nuance in the world.
This coffee from Hacienda la Esmeralda is aromatic, has notes of jasmine and various fruits, is very sweet, with a great balance of acidity and a quite intense body. Geisha coffee from Panama is priced at over 1000 dollars per kilogram (the price of the 2014 harvest).
NOTE: Geisha coffee is grown elsewhere globally, but they are not comparable with the taste of this Geisha from Panama produced by Hacienda la Esmeralda.
La Mexicana – Nariño Supremo Tambo
Cafés La Mexicana, since 1890. It is the slogan and logo of this Madrid-based company that has been selling some of the world’s best coffee for over a century. Among them all, the Nariño Supremo Tambo coffee stands out, with absolutely unique characteristics.
Two reasons make this Nariño Supremo Tambo coffee from La Mexicana unique:
- The exceptional altitude at which its beans are grown (over 2200 metres above sea level) on the highest coffee plantations in the world.
- The small municipality where they are located: is a dairy farm. In this village in the Colombian Andes, small coffee growers and producers pamper every coffee bean of this Supremo Nariño Tambo.
The production is very scarce: only 250 sacks of coffee each year. Where can you buy Nariño Supremo Tambo coffee? In the online shop of La Mexicana.
St. Helena Coffee Company
St. Helena is the smallest island in Africa. In this remote enclave, another of the world’s best coffees is grown: an exceptional coffee made from Arabica beans of the Bourbon variety, which, of course, has very high shipping costs (exports are paid for at the price of gold) and this has cost its hard-working producers more than one disappointment.
Labour is scarce, the inhabitants are few, and there is not much cultivation area, so the final price of Café de Santa Helena is around 80 euros per kilo.
The Helena Coffee Company produces St. Helena coffee. It is very fine and has fruity, citrus and floral aromas. It is processed in humid environments, and its quality controls are rigorous.
Sanani Moka Coffee
And finally, we travel far away from Yemen to discover one of the most renowned and appreciated coffees by experts: The Sanani Moka coffee.
Sanani coffee beans are grown in the Sanan Mountains in South Yemen at high altitudes. The soil conditions are extreme, and the cultivation and growth of each coffee plant can practically be considered a miracle of nature.
It is considered the oldest cultivated coffee globally (always labels difficult to check, but good), and in tasting, it is a very round, full-bodied coffee with slight chocolate flavours. It is quite acidic, and the aroma is amazing.
Its high price and market value are achieved because not all the mocha beans in the region are marketed as Sanani coffee. The company only selects a small part of the best crops (an estimated 2% of the total), which manage to pass its demanding quality controls, to sell them as authentic Sanani coffee, the best mocha in the world for many experts.
Where to buy Sanani coffee? You could only purchase Sanani coffee from Sanani’s website at approximately £14-16 per 250-gram packet. That’s about £60 a kilo. Unfortunately, this website does not always work properly, and the product is not easily accessible. If you find it in any other shop or retailer, please ensure it is genuine Sanani mocha coffee.
