Korea on Monday got its first taste of Kopi Luwak, an extremely rare coffee made from coffee beans found in the excrement of the civet cat. The main branch of the Lotte Department Store in Seoul¡¯s Central District launched a sales event to mark the introduction of the new product. It comes from the excrement of the common palm civet that inhabits Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi in Indonesia. The creature eats coffee berries but its digestive tract cannot fully break down the tough seeds and excretes them.
Kopi Luwak makes its Korean debut at the Lotte Department Store¡¯s main branch in Seoul Tuesday.
Marinated in the saliva and gastric juices of the animal which breaks down the amino acids in the beans as they pass through, Kopi Luwak is prized for its unique taste. Only 500 kg of the product is available per year, the majority exported to the U.S. and Japan where true coffee aficionados enjoy the expensive treat in small quantities. Through Sunday, Lotte Department Store will be selling the delicacy at W650,000 per 50 g.
