In early September, I became the owner of the world’s most expensive cup of coffee. And I’m glad this story spread across the media far beyond Dubai – from gourmet-focused publications to international news outlets.
A year and a half of hunting for the rarest beans
My friend, the owner of the Roasters coffee chain, spent a year and a half preparing for this moment. He searched through auctions, competed with collectors and professional roasters from all over the world for the rarest arabica beans – Panama Geisha Esmeralda, a variety valued higher than gold. The harvest is hand-picked in limited quantities, and the beans can only be purchased at auctions where prices reach unbelievable heights. I know how precise and meticulous his approach is to everything he does. Even the coffee was served in Edo Kiriko glasses – handcrafted Japanese pieces of glass art. It came with three signature desserts made from the same beans:
- Coffee-flavoured ice cream – an absolutely unique experience you can’t forget
- Two other desserts created specifically for this event
All three were incredible, but the ice cream deserves a special mention. And yes, the $680 was worth it.
Why buy the most expensive cup of coffee in the world
For me, this wasn’t just coffee. I’m a tea and coffee enthusiast, and I couldn’t ignore such a historic moment. When my friend presented the legendary La Esmeralda Geisha and officially set a Guinness World Record, it was an honour to be the first person to taste that cup. This event entered the Guinness World Records as the most expensive cup of coffee ever sold. The news quickly spread through international media, and I’m proud to have witnessed it in person. Moments like this remind me why I chose Dubai. It is a city where bold ideas and persistent work turn into world records. A place where someone can spend a year and a half hunting for the rarest beans and eventually create an event that will be talked about worldwide.
A city of opportunities requires a professional mindset
Dubai is not just a city of opportunities. It’s a city that constantly raises the bar. Here, it’s normal to set goals that seem unattainable and work toward them month after month. That’s why in my agency, 2088 Real Estate, I apply the same approach to real estate: our professional support for buying real estate is not a set of standard services, but a deep, detailed understanding of the client’s objective, their goals, and building a pathway to the result with full consideration of the local market’s nuances. Just as my friend spent a year and a half searching for the perfect coffee beans, we sometimes work with a client for months to find a property that meets all their requirements:
- A location aligned with future district development
- Real yield, not numbers from marketing brochures
- Legal transparency at every stage
- Long-term appreciation potential
I published the full video of the ceremony and tasting on my YouTube channel. But the main thing is this: the experience once again proved a simple truth – in Dubai, those who win are the ones willing to invest time, energy and attention to detail into what they do.
