Does Expensive Coffee Really Taste Better? The Truth You Should Know

 People often say, “You get what you pay for.”

In many aspects of life, this saying makes perfect sense, and it’s deeply ingrained in the way we think about consumption.

Not long ago, a customer came into our shop for coffee. After looking at the menu, he asked with surprise, “What’s this Emerald Red Label for 75 yuan? It must taste way better than the regular pour-over for 30 yuan, right?”
Clearly, this customer had already equated “expensive coffee” with “good coffee,” assuming that a higher price always means better flavor.
But is that really the truth?

What determines the price of coffee?

1. Variety

Most people know that the coffee beans sold today are broadly divided into Arabica and Robusta.

Arabica includes many sub-varieties—Typica, Bourbon, Caturra, and more. These beans are usually grown at high altitudes above 800 meters. They tend to have a smoother taste and more refined flavor characteristics influenced by the local terroir.
However, Arabica is picky by nature. It demands a high-quality growing environment, has lower yields, is more vulnerable to pests and disease, and can even wither easily. Farmers must invest more time and resources into maintenance, which naturally raises the price.

Robusta, on the other hand, grows mainly below 800 meters. It's hardy—resistant to pests, tolerant of heat and direct sunlight, and suitable for dense planting. Its yield per harvest can be very high, making it widely available across many countries. Because of this abundance, Robusta is commonly used in dark espresso blends and instant coffee at a lower cost.

2. Green Bean Grading

No matter how pricey a cup of coffee is or how it’s brewed, coffee beans are ultimately an agricultural product. And like all agricultural products, each producing country has its own grading standards. The higher the grade, the higher the price.

Globally, coffee grading systems generally fall into three categories:
bean size, altitude (bean hardness), and defect count.

For example:

• Regions like Kenya and Colombia sort beans by size using screens. Larger beans are believed to ripen more evenly and develop better flavor, making roasting more consistent.

• Panama, Costa Rica, and Guatemala grade beans by altitude. Higher altitude means denser beans, richer nutrients, and more pronounced flavor—thus higher value.

• Ethiopia and Indonesia classify beans by defect rate. The fewer defects, the more valuable the coffee. For instance, our PWN Golden Mandheling undergoes machine sorting once and hand sorting three times, reducing defects to a minimum and significantly increasing its price.

Beyond national standards, some well-known estates have developed their own grading systems.
The most famous is Panama’s Hacienda La Esmeralda, whose Geisha beans are labeled Red Label, Green Label, and the exclusive Auction Lot—each grade more expensive than the last, especially the rare auction batches.

3. Yield and Scarcity

There’s an old saying: Scarcity creates value.
Coffee is no exception.

Take Jamaica Blue Mountain, once known as the “Hermès of the coffee world.”
To standardize quality, the Jamaican Coffee Board designated a specific region in the Blue Mountains where only Typica beans grown within that boundary can be called “Blue Mountain Coffee.”
This official growing area is only about 6,000 hectares—just one-third of the entire mountain region.

Typica already has low yields, and the high-altitude environment makes harvesting even more labor-intensive. Add in strict quality control and later hype from Japan, and the price skyrocketed. In the early days—before cafés became common—a single cup could cost over 1,000 yuan.

Today, with direct imports to China, prices have become more accessible. For example, you can now enjoy a classic Blue Mountain pour-over at our shop for 60 yuan.

Higher prices don’t automatically make a coffee “better”

From everything we’ve listed above, it’s clear that industry standards create natural price differences. But for consumers, the value of a cup of coffee isn’t determined by price—it’s determined by whether it suits your taste.

We once had a regular customer who loved dark-roast coffee. One day, she decided to splurge on a cup of our premium Geisha.
But after just one sip, she frowned and said, “Too sour. Not ordering this again.”

Different origins, farms, varieties, processing methods, grades, and roast levels all shape the flavors listed on a bag of coffee. When buying beans or ordering a drink, most people start by choosing what they prefer:

• If you like bright acidity, you can enjoy something affordable like Yirgacheffe—or go all-in with an expensive auction Geisha.

• If you like bitterness or a fuller body, Blue Mountain is an iconic (and pricey) option—but a budget-friendly Brazilian bean can offer similar satisfaction.

That’s why we believe:
Expensive coffee and good coffee are not the same thing.
The best coffee is simply the one that matches your personal taste.