AFP: The world's most expensive coffee is served in Dubai - a cup costs $1,000

Dubai, November 1 - For almost $1,000 a cup, a shop in the extravagant emirate of Dubai is offering the world's most expensive coffee. It is made from Panamanian beans that sell for the price of gold, AFP reported.

A shop called Julith in Dubai's industrial district, which has become a coffee lover's paradise, plans to sell "around 400 cups" of the rare drink starting today, the cafe's co-founder Serkan Sagsöz told the agency.

From the filtration, carried out using a method that ensures optimal flavor extraction, to detailed descriptions of the preparation and tasting, interested parties can enjoy the experience directly in the restaurant or in an intimate private space.

The drink, which sells for 3,600 dirhams ($972) in local currency, or about $100 a sip, according to AFP calculations, has a floral and fruity flavor reminiscent of tea. “It has white floral notes of jasmine, citrus flavors like orange and bergamot, and a hint of apricot and peach,” Sagsöz describes. “It’s like honey, soft and sweet,” says the coffee enthusiast, who ran a coffee shop in his native Turkey for seven years before opening Julith in Dubai in August.

The wealthy Gulf emirate is synonymous with luxury and is known for its many extravagant projects, from the world’s tallest building to luxury hotels to man-made islands. “We felt that Dubai was the ideal place for this investment,” Sagsöz adds.

The emirate had already entered the Guinness Book of World Records in September as the place with the most expensive coffee in the world, with Roasters offering it for 2,500 dirhams (approximately 14,350 crowns). The new record has provoked mixed reactions, but it hasn’t come as much of a surprise in a city accustomed to millionaires.

"It's really shocking, but it's Dubai," said Inès, a resident who did not want to give her last name.

"For the rich, it's just another experience to show off," said Maëva, another Dubai resident.

In a press release, Julith said it had paid the highest price ever paid for coffee at an auction in Panama. After a "real battle" in which 549 bids were submitted, it bought 20 kilograms of the rare beans for around 2.2 million dirhams, or about $600,000.

"The auction lasted 13 hours. We were competing mainly with Asian companies that are used to winning these types of auctions (...) It was a big surprise for everyone when our name was announced," the company said in a statement.

The coffee, called "Nido 7 Geisha," comes from the Hacienda La Esmeralda plantations, which are located near the dormant Barú volcano, Panama's highest point. It received a score of 98 out of 100, which organizers say is a record score in the prestigious "Best of Panama" competition.

The company also said it has since received many offers from Asian buyers and coffee lovers in the United Arab Emirates, including requests to buy from coffee bean collectors. But it says it has no intention of sharing its treasure, except for a small amount reserved for the ruling family of Dubai.

AFP/WT.24