The secret of Luwak coffee's unique flavor is this

Oct 24, 2025

The secret of Luwak coffee's unique flavor is this
◇ civet fecal (a) found in fallen logs (a) and ripe robusta coffee berries (b) on coffee farms. Photo Source: Scientific Reports, courtesy of Lamit Mitra



Civet coffee, known for being the world's most expensive 'Luwak Coffee', has been shown to have higher compounds and fats that affect its unique flavor compared to regular coffee.

This is the result of a research team led by Professor Palati Alici Sinu of the Central University of Kerala, India, published in the scientific journal Scientific Reports.

The research team compared and analyzed beans collected from 68 wild civet excrement at five Robusta coffee farms in Karnataka, India, and beans harvested by the traditional method at each farm.




As a result of the analysis, civet coffee beans contain about 40% higher fat content than traditional harvested beans and have 6 to 10 times higher specific fatty acid methyl esters (caprylic acid and capric acid) that are characterized by dairy-like flavors. On the other hand, some fatty acids and volatile compounds such as ethyl palmitate esters were hardly detected.

Protein, caffeine, and acidity were slightly lower.

The research team interpreted the natural fermentation and the intestinal microbiota of civets as transforming the structure of proteins, lipids, and amino acids to deepen the aroma and flavor of coffee. In addition, civet coffee did not show much chemical difference from regular coffee, but significant changes exist in flavor-related ingredients.






This article was translated by Naver AI translator.