James Hoffmann

4 months agoI would like to clarify that I believe the taste alone cannot justify the price. I think there are 3 reasons why a cup of coffee might be expensive: - Scarcity: there's only a very tiny quantity of this particular coffee produced, therefore, getting to taste it is a rarefied experience. - Competition: this is typically where the coffee industry itself has driven the price up, usually through something like an auction. - Preparation: the coffee might have been aged a certain way or brewed in a way that's kind of convoluted or complicated that has really added to the cost. This particular coffee comes from a small estate in Japan where the beans are processed naturally, therefore making it scare enough to raise its price considerably when exporting it to the UK. This is on top of the cost of production, which is higher in Japan than in typical coffee producing areas. Then there is also the subjective view on price. I got to buy an experience, saying that I consumed a rare Japanese island espresso. Do you think it is worth $335? That’s entirely up to you.

4 months agoI do believe tracking your caffeine for a short while can be interesting, as long as it doesn't become an obsession. Have you ever done this yourselves? And if so, did you find it worth the experiment?