Media outlets around the world have picked up on the scent of Black Ivory Coffee, a Thai blend made from beans that have been eaten and shat out by elephants.
Huffington Post, ABC News, The Sydney Morning Herald and countless other sources have reported on the unique java, which is being offered at the Anantara Golden Triangle resort in northern Thailand and four Anantara properties in the Maldives.
Coffee critics are saying this special blend has “hints of banana and a flutter of peanuts” with a “grassy aftertaste.” (They aren’t actually.)
The singular pleasure of sipping on coffee made from beans that have been inside an elephant’s stomach will cost you though: At around USD1,100 (THB33,808) per kilogram, this is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. The Anantara hotels are selling two cups for roughly USD50 (THB1,536), the AFP reported. Dayumn.
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“Refinement” of the coffee is done at Anatara’s Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF), which has to date rescued 30 street elephants. Thai arabica beans grown at over 1,500 feet are digested by the elephants then “deposited” to be picked up by mahouts and dried in the sun.
If Anantara is searching for any more elephants to do the hard work of eating these beans, we’ve got a great young job candidate for them with a powerful (and volatile) digestive system.
The Thailand-headquartered hotel chain also organizes the King’s Cup Elephant Polo tournament in Hua Hin every year to benefit the lumbering and lovable beasts.
According to Anantara, having the beans digested by an elephant breaks down protein which is one of the main causes of bitterness. Similar coffee digested by civets in Vietnam has been sold for years and praised by aficionados.
This could be worth a trip to the Golden Triangle!
Remember: The best part about waking up is feces in your cup.
