At an auction earlier this year, a pound of coffee from Panama sold for a record-breaking $803 (R11 140)  per pound.

In total, only 45 kilograms of the beans were available for purchase. Most of it went to Japan, China and Taiwan, although a coffee shop in San Francisco managed to secure 4,5 kilograms.

Klatch Coffee describes the product, the Elida Natural Geisha 803, as a rare variety of Arabica from Panama that has a floral, tea-like flavour, with hints of jasmine and berries, reports Bloomberg.

You lost me at ‘tea-like’. I want my coffee to taste like coffee – but that’s just me.

Moving on to what Klatch did with the coffee once they had it. The first thing you need to know is that their baristas are required to do 400 hours of training to ensure that they don’t mess up a cup of coffee. Ever.

They also invited a select few coffee lovers to try free samples of the stuff, which was then sold for a staggering $75 (around R1 040) a cup.

No thanks – our favourite coffee costs around R24 a pop (a tall for that extra zing), and goes down like a treat.

Anyway, here are some of the selected coffee lovers’ reviews:

One of them was San Francisco resident Lauren Svensson, who said it was “very different” from any coffee she’d ever tasted.

“My mind was a little blown about the fact that a $75 cup of coffee even exists,” she said, “but it was shockingly good.”

Her friend, Charlie Sinhaseni, also gave his free sample a positive review.

“When I first looked at it, I thought it would be hyper pretentious, and I would think of all the different notes for the coffee, but I was too busy enjoying it,” he said.

Nobody asked Charlie or Lauren if knowing the price of the coffee affected the way they felt about it. You really don’t want to be that person who spits it out and is forever labelled a coffee noob.

Do you swill it around like wine, hold it to the sky, and then try and think of far-out flavour profiles to sound fancy?

‘Ah, yes, a distinct whiff of freshly mowed grass, with a slight aftertaste of oak.’ Cool.

More about the coffee and Klatch here:

I love a good cup of coffee, but I’m not going to drop R1 000 on one.

Keep it simple, keep it classy, and keep it high quality – easy.

Importers Coffee imports top quality coffees from the world’s leading equatorial coffee-growing regions, and they use the same coffee-brewing methods that have made them such a favourite over the years.

Tried, tested, and it doesn’t cost you all those Randelas.

If you’re out and about in the ‘burbs, stop in at their famous shop in Newlands – 28 Kildare Street. Those who find themselves town-side can grab a cup at Café du Cap (113 Loop Street).

You can also beat the queues and avoid the winter weather by stocking up on their pods and beans to use at home.

Unlike the Elida Natural Geisha 803, with Importers, you don’t need 400 hours of training to become a top-notch barista in the comfort of your own home.

[source:bloomberg]