Over the years, Kopi Luwak Coffee hasn't just enjoyed the reputation of being the finest coffee in the world, but also the most expensive coffee in the world.  The road that this delicious nectar of the Indonesian gods has taken is winding and full of intrigue.  What makes this gourmet coffee the most expensive coffee in the world? Let's take a closer look.

How much would you pay for a cup coffee? What if it was a really good cup of coffee? What if it was considered the best-tasting coffee in the world?

 For $50 you might be able to try the most expensive and, according to many coffee drinkers, the most delicious coffee in the world – Kopi Luwak.

Kopi Luwak, also known as Civet Coffee, typically sells for $200 - $600 per pound. These treasured coffee beans come out of Indonesia and other Southeast Asian Countries, but the supply is strictly limited. A coffee bean must survive a very unusual process in order to be considered Kopi Luwak. While most regular coffee beans are harvested directly from coffee trees, Kopi Luwak coffee beans are passed through the digestive tract of an Asian Palm Civet, a furry skunk-like creature indigenous to Southeast Asia.

The Asian Palm Civet eats a ripe coffee berry, which contain a coffee bean in its center. The coffee bean passes through the digestive tract of the creature, where it is chemically changed. Most notably, the bean is stripped of its protein. Protein causes bitterness in coffee, so that the protein-free Kopi Luwak coffee beans yield a notably smooth drink. The droppings of the civet are collected, thoroughly cleaned and sent to market. 

The civet bonus adds a premium to the price of Kopi Luwak coffee. Its unique story and limited supply require higher pricing. Kopi Luwak fans think the coffee is worth the price. They describe the taste of Kopi Luwak as smooth, earthy and chocolaty. Many say there are flavorful notes that are beyond description. The taste of Kopi Luwak coffee cannot be duplicated any other way (though some coffee companies have tried).

While $50 for a cup of coffee may seem extravagant, Kopi Luwak  is hardly the only expensive food around. The luxury food market is alive and well even in these challenging economic times. If you really want to thrill your taste buds and empty your wallet, below are some of the most expensive foods in the world:

• The luxury mushrooms known as truffles can put a dent in any wallet. Black truffles typically cost between $300 - $600 per pound, which only seems expensive until you compare it to its White truffle counterpart, which can range in price from $1,000 - $2,000 per pound.
• Saffron is the rarest spice in the world and the most expensive by weight due to the difficulty of its collection (which must be done by hand). This spice has sold for up to $2,700 a pound.  
• The word caviar is practically synonymous with quality and expense. Any type of caviar is a treat, and the cost of these delicate fish eggs depends on the breed of fish they come from. The most expensive caviar is Almas Caviar, which comes from the rare Beluga fish. This caviar is white in appearance and native to the Caspian Sea.  The luxury English boutique Caviar House & Prunier in London sells Almas Caviar in a gold tin for $25,000.
• In the luxury beverage market, there is nothing like the culture, cost and obsession of the oenophile. While anyone can walk over to their local supermarket or liquor store and pick up a bottle of wine for under $10, real connoisseurs think nothing of dropping a hundred dollars or more for a rare bottle. That’s only the beginning. Depending on the year, vintage and rarity, a special bottle of wine can easily cost $1,000. Auction houses regularly display bottles or cases of wine for their wealthy customers to bid on. The most expensive bottle of wine ever sold was a 1787 Chateau Lafite Bordeaux belonging to the United States president Thomas Jefferson. This bottle made it into the record books, fetching $160,000 at auction. Pretty impressive considering the wine was not even drinkable after 200 years of aging.

Famous chiefs and high-end restaurants have also tried their hand at scandalizing the public with bank account draining concoctions. Here is only a small sample of the most expensive dishes in the world:

• The Double Truffle Hamburger at DB Bistro Moderne in Manhattan, New York will set you back $99. You’ll get foie gras mixed with truffles and stuffed inside sirloin steak between a Parmesan and poppy seed bun. A high price for a good burger, but the Double Truffle Hamburger isn’t even the most expensive sandwich in the world.
• That distinction goes to the von Essen Platinum club sandwich sold at the Cliveden House Hotel near London. You’ll get Iberico ham cured for 30 months, quail eggs, white truffles, Italian tomatoes on 24-hour fermented sourdough bread as long as you’re willing to part with $197 for the privilege.  
• For something a little sweeter, try the Grand Opulence Sundae at Serendipity in New York. For a mere $1,000, you can enjoy Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream topped with: 23-karat edible gold leaf, Amedei Porcelana - the world’s most expensive chocolate, gold dragnets, truffles and dessert caviar.
• Even pizza comes in high (and expensive) style. Try a slice of The Luxury Pizza at Nino’s Bellissima in Manhattan. For $125, you’ll get to taste six different types of caviar, lobster, crème fraiche and chives on a 12-inch thin crust. Of course, that’ll only buy one slice. If you consider splurging in the entire pizza, get ready to hand over $1,000.
• Of course that’s pocket change compared to the most expensive food of all. A diamond-encrusted fruit cake was created in 2005 for a Japanese exhibit called “Diamonds: Nature’s Miracle.” The total value of the cake - $1.6 million.

Kopi Luwak may be the world’s most expensive coffee, but big spenders have plenty of other dishes to choose from in the luxury market. 

Despite its high cost, Kopi Luwak coffee does a brisk business, and the market is expanding. Fans of the drink believe that the quality of the taste is worth the price. More and more people are beginning to agree. Kopi Luwak also makes a great gift for the picky foodies in your life. Whatever the reason, people continue to pay for Kopi Luwak, and the industry, in turn, continues to grow and thrive. As the true coffee connoisseur knows, quality is priceless