Key Points
- A Melbourne coffee roaster is serving a brew costing customers up to $200 per cup.
- The Geisha varietal is the highest scoring coffee in Panama history, the owner of the coffee roaster said.
- The roaster has enough for just 25 cups and expects it to be sold out by the end of the month.
How much would you pay for a good cup of coffee?
A Melbourne roaster is serving a brew costing customers up to $200 a cup, and expects their supply of Panama Geisha Black Jaguar coffee - enough to make just 25 serves - to be sold out by the end of the month.
Nolan Hirte, founder and owner of Melbourne's Proud Mary coffee roaster and cafe, told SBS News the coffee was "ridiculously good".
"It's the highest scoring coffee in the best of Panama history, and it sold for US$2,000 a pound ($2907 for 453 grams) at auction - that was bought by Saza coffee company in Japan, and we just happen to be good friends with Saza coffee and purchased some for the Australian and the US market," he said.
"So we've only got a small amount, and we're super excited to bring that to Melbourne and share it because it was a ridiculously good coffee and the finest example of what Panama Geisha can do."
Served as a pour-over - which involves pouring hot water through coffee grounds in a filter - it has caused the specialty coffee community to grind to a halt.
"As soon as we announced that we were going to launch this, the next day someone flew from Sydney to Melbourne to order a cup - and unfortunately it wasn't on the menu," Mr Hirte said.
"I think it's gonna sell out pretty quick. And really, for us it was just a case of - we really wanted to do it."
Jake Reeder was among those lucky enough to get a taste.
"It's not an everyday drink but it's a small price to pay for tasting something so unique - I got a bit of like freeze-dried strawberries almost and some stone fruit"
Why is it Panama Geisha coffee so expensive?
International judges decided the Black Jaguar edition was the best coffee to come out of Panama, earning it a higher price tag.
Mr Hirte said the Geisha varietal generally starts at US$30 ($43) a pound.
"There's many varietals but Geisha is an heirloom varietal that has more complexity, more lipids, more fats than any other coffee varietal," he said.
"And as such has a higher price tag. When all coffee right now is $1.60 ($2.30) a pound US, Geisha would start at $30 ($43) a pound, that's entry-level."
Geisha coffee originates from the Gesha region of Ethiopia and has been grown in Panama since the 1960s.
This coffee has been compared to a $3000 bottle of wine.
Mr Hirte says the price tag is a lesson for both consumers and the hospitality industry
"I think it's always great to expand the horizons and it's always good to challenge yourself on like 'do I like something or not' - you know, when you're growing up and not liking brussel sprouts or whatever it is as a kid and then later in life realising actually they're not bad.
"I think this is a bit like that. You want to really see what coffee can do and this is a great place for us to let us show you how good it can be."
