“I mean, it’s just such a rare variety from like a very specific area, from a very specific farm, and you get the trustworthiness of Kyle [Cabangun], who’s just a fantastic barista, so it’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance really,” Maxwell said.
The special beans from Panama are said to be particularly rare. Photo / Anna Heath
A self-confessed coffee aficionado, he has had expensive cups before, “maybe $20 to $30 per cup, but this is definitely the most expensive I’ve had”.
He wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but said: “From what I’ve smelled, it’s probably going to be something floral and really beautiful and nice.
“It’ll be really interesting to see what it comes out like, particularly with the brewing method that he’s chosen.
After watching the “nerve-wracking” process of it being made, Maxwell sat down to enjoy his coffee.
There was much anticipation at Rook Cafe this morning as the $100 coffees were being made. Photo / Anna Heath
His first reaction was that it tasted quite “floral” but he was interested to see how it changed when the temperature fell.
“But first thoughts: really good. It’s fantastic so far.”
Tallon agreed but added: “It’s quite a lot to think about, when you’ve got a $100 price tag in the back of your mind. But it’s really nice, I can’t wait for my second sip.”
Another early customer, Lily, said it was “worth every cent” and a “once in a lifetime opportunity”. She also described it as “floral”.
“It’s lovely, really lovely,” she said.
Lily was one of the first customers to buy a $100 cup of coffee from Christchurch cafe Rook and was impressed. Photo / Anna Heath
Rook had presold a number of cups, but early birds like Lily can still grab a taste of the limited supply, with only 14-15 cups likely to be available.
Cabangun prepared the beans in a hand grinder to avoid losing any coffee before using a paper filter and adding hot water.
They compared the price tag to that of high-quality wine.
“Coffee, if anything, is harder to grow and produce than wine,″ Cabangun said.
“This cup of coffee is some of the highest-quality coffee you’ll probably ever try. Coffee is graded on a scale of 0-100, and this sits at 94-96 on that range.”
Mike Thorpe is a senior journalist for the Herald, based in Christchurch. He has been a broadcast journalist across television and radio for 20 years and joined the Herald in August 2024.