Pompeyexile What makes it so expensive, and has anyone here tried it and if so, is it worth the money? Or like many things in life like art, wine, music etc, just a matter of personal taste?
What makes it so expensive? As with pretty much anything, demand > supply.
Has anyone tried it? Oh yes. Used to be my daily driver many years ago.
Just personal taste? Well, yes and no. Ultimately, everything to do with food and drink pretty much is, which is why some people love Marmite and others can’t stand it. But is it just that? I guess not. In order for prices to get that high, there has to be enough people willing to buy it at that price, or it wouldn’t sell at all. Of course, that could just be due to clever marketing hype that people buy into. I would argue that that is the case with Rolex watches but some people love ’em.
Is it worth the money? That is a matter not just of personal taste and subjective opinion, but also of personal means. What I mean is, well, what does a given sum of money, say £100, mean to you? Does it represent a third of a meal out at your favourite restaurant or does it represent your entire household food bill for a week or two? That sum means rather different things to Richard Branson than it does to the average homeless person. And yes, clearly, that’s citing extremes, but a far more normal example might be …. what will your next car be - used Ford, or new Mercedes? Or Aston Martin? Or, can you afford a car at all? What pretty much anything, certainly any discretionary spending item is “worthe” is highly subjective.
I had good news and bad news a week or two back. The good news was I found some JBM I’d forgotten I had. Not much, about 60g. The bad news was it’s been sitting in that container since I packed it when I moved …. in 1980. I do not propose to try brewing and drinking it, 40+ years later. I think it might be a tad stale. 😉
Note - back in the days when I drank it regularly, it wasn’t the cheapest coffee available but the price premium was nowhere near what it is these days. Would I buy it now? Very occasionally maybe, but mainly for a treat, and largely for nostalgic reasons. Is it worth it? For me, yeah, but very occasionally, and mainly for the nostalgia. It’s weird, but the taste brings back memories of some very happy times. Other than for that, as just as A.N.Other coffee to try? No, it isn’t. IMHO. Very nice, yes, but that nice? No.