The best gift under $20 for coffee lovers?

We have been the exclusive authorized distributor for Trung Nguyen Coffees on the web since 2005. In all that time, we have never seen a coffee that has such a universal appeal as the Legendee Gold. Every type of coffee lover, whether already a fan of Vietnamese coffees or even a Dunkin' Donuts or Peet's lover, is always impressed by a cup of Legendee. Even people who say they don't like coffee seem to be impressed.

Throughout Southeast Asia there is no more single respected brand and blend than the Legendee, served in thousands of coffee shops and sold in 17 SE Asian countries

Here in the USA the fan base grows everyday. The Legendee Gold simply has a lot to love-- created from the most select Arabica and Excelsa, and treated with the natural enzyme soak that simulates the action taking place in civet (weasel) coffee, the result is described by aficionados in many ways:

"I love to sneak a little bit from the early drip from my coffee machine into my cup for a concentrated hit of the most incredibly bitter-free and intense coffee experience" (D.M., MA)

"I have two favorite coffees, the Liberica and the Legendee. Some mornings my biggest dilemma is simply which to brew. Other mornings, my infant sun creates more fundamental dilemmas..." (D.Y., MA)

"I couldn't get the Legendee to equal the experience I have had with civet coffee until you told me about the low-temperature brewing. I put water at 185° in my Phin this morning and said 'Yes, there it is!'" (W.B., WI)

These and thousands more fans find the Legendee to be among the best, if not the best, of the coffees they have ever had. So that is why the Legendee makes such a perfect and simple gift for any coffee lover. This year we came up with a very easy way to present a gift of Legendee. We found these wonderful gold lamé bags that fit a Legendee (and many other of our coffees) perfectly. It's a simple and elegant presentation and a perfect gift under $20 for every coffee lover. Spread some Legendee Gold happiness this holiday season!

That Good Ol' Legendee

In 1996 Trung Nguyen made a serious investment in creating some coffees and coffeehouses that set new world-class standards.

One of their major projects was to hire a team of German scientists to learn why Kopi Luwak (weasel/civet/chon) coffee tastes so incredibly different and good. Trung Nguyen knew they could never service 800 coffeeshops and the mass market with Kopi Luwak, which is a painstaking and slow coffee to process. So they reasoned, why can't we duplicate what the furry little beastie is doing to the coffee beans when they are in his stomach?

The German scientists, being what they are - the world's top coffee scientists in R&D - were successful in isolating six natural enzymes that are responsible for the partial digestion of the bean cellulose structure, bringing the release of flavor elements that were previously unavailable, and also neutralizing any bitterness in the bean.

When TN first applied this process to their coffee, they chose a mix of beans that was popular in the cultivation of Kopi Luwak, a mix of Arabica, Robusta and Excelsa. This bean mix creates a bold profile underlying the smooth and bitter-free nature of the Kopi Luwak process.

However, as time went on and the world embraced more and more an all-Arabica fetish, many Kopi Luwaks were produced by feeding civets 100% Arabica. This creates a Kopi Luwak that has incredible high tones and a wonderful aroma that permeates the room upon opening. Arabica enthusiasts were pleased, but many people felt that the brewed coffee was not bold enough.

Trung Nguyen created the new Legendee Gold in ground format to approximate the taste of 100% Arabica Kopi Luwak. This was fine and wonderful, but they also stopped exporting the original, bolder formula. Since 2007 we have not been able to get the "Classic" Legendee, but recently we were able to buy it from the factory in Vietnam and have it shipped to us here.

So, Classic Legendee is back! At least, in the bean form. We celebrated by hosting our coffee social at our warehouse with Classic Legendee "on tap" and drank ourselves silly and hyper on Legendee.

We hope you share our excitement in the return of this Classic.

Kopi Luwak - poor misunderstood civet!

Like most gourmet coffee information available on the web, there are many conflicting stories and information about this gourmet delight. It always amazes me how little effort many reporters, for instance, will go to to verify their information on a story.

Kopi Luwak coffee is "processed" by the palm civet, a shy cat-like creature who hunts at night and likes to dine on the ripest of coffee berries (coffee comes from the bean, around which are the berries, or "cherry" fruit. The (relative clean and vegetarian) animal leaves the coffee seeds in their droppings, which are collected, thoroughly cleaned, and roasted. The digestive enzymes of the civet break down coffee's typical acids and structures in a way that no other processing can duplicate, accomplishing two things: Creating the world's smoothest coffee and releasing flavors that cannot be accessed by normal roasting or handling.

The result is truly the world's "best" coffee by many definitions. The aftertaste is haunting and persistent, and one cup calls after another... which would be a terribly expensive thing if one was to believe the hyperbole about $60-a-cup coffee.

In reality, we recommend people carefully measure out their beans before they brew, allotting about 50-55 per cup, and if brewed a cup at a time, Kopi Luwak comes down to about $2 a cup. That's less than a latte at Starbucks. So, while people like to conjure images of tycoons burning $100 bills and drinking $60-a-cup coffee, that's just a fantasy.

Some Kopi Luwak myths:

Myth 1: All Kopi Luwak is similar in taste. Not true - the civets can dine on any number of coffee species and the resulting brew will be quite different. What is consistent is the smoothness and hidden aromatics that are released... but the basic flavor of the coffee can change quite a bit.

Myth 2: All Kopi Luwak comes from Sumatra. The civet palm and its close relatives are found throughout Malaysia and certain regions of South East Asia, plus the Philippines. The Philippines offers up a notable version of their civet coffee, called Cafe Alamid (Civet Coffee), which typically comes from a civet feeding on mixed coffee species of Liberica, Arabica and Robusta. This civet coffee has a totally different and bolder flavor profile than Sumatran Arabica. But it still "tastes" like Kopi Luwak. It's hard to explain, but even though the coffees are different, you know it's Kopi Luwak each time. It's almost like recognizing a particular roast, like French Roast. The coffees may be different but French Roast has a particular characteristic you can't miss.

Today I tried an experiment. We have been carrying the My-Kap product that allows people with Keurig K-Cup brewers to brew any coffee in re-used cups. It was painful, but I measured out 55 or so beans in a scoop and ground them relatively fine, then put them in an empty K-cup and snapped on the My-Kap and brewed myself a cup of Kopi Luwak coffee. Sacrilege, perhaps. But I had to know.

The result was somewhat to be expected. There was nowhere near the bright, fresh flavor of brewing in a Vietnamese Phin Filter, Melitta one-cup or French Press. But the cup still tasted like Kopi Luwak and it still carried that incredible aftertaste that stayed with me for a half an hour after enjoying the cup. I wouldn't recommend this as a way to optimize Kopi Luwak, but it did produce a cup of coffee that most people would have found exceptional, and it told me that people who buy the coffee and brew it in their Keurig will probably not be disappointed.