On close examination of the Luwak skat, we noticed some distinct patterns in the luwaks diet which were in sync with the phases of the moon. The luwaks swings from omnivore to herbivore to carnivore… and it all affects the coffee in the luwaks gut and the taste of the final product.
After developing our own theories, we decided to call in some real experts. The type with degrees and doctorates.
It took some time to find him, but we did find the right man. Dr Massimo F Marcone Ph.D, C.Chem., Chimiste a scientist with numerous degrees in chemistry and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Food Science at Ontario Agricultural College did not only agree to come but was passionate and excited when we told him of the quantities and make up of the mongoose skat that we had.
Finally, someone who was more obsessed with the animal than I was. Hooray! He too stated that after a dozen years of study not once has he seen one in the wild in daylight hours.
When Albert mentioned to him the amount of skat that we find he was ecstatic. I thought I was the mongoose fanatic. In 3 weeks he arrived with and entire film crew to shoot a documentary for a European network on Kopi Luwak. A shortened version can be viewed on this website. It was the skat that the documentary was to about. He knew the chances of seeing one in the wild is a zillion to one.
We were happy to share what we had learned about how the environment and food available could alter the various flavours we had found with the kopi luwak.
We have kept this all to ourselves until we were 100% sure of our findings. And we don’t mind telling you some of the secrets because to get this formula working correctly in practice - where farmer and animal work in unison together to keep the process happening consistently over time is a biblical-sized miracle. After the first few days what Dr Massimo F Marcone found present in the skat gave us an incredible amount of knowledge about what factors would directly affect the bean whilst passing through the animal.
Once the skat was passed and it lay on the jungle floor then what it lay on also has a contributing input to the flavours however it is what the mongoose combines in his night’s diet that can dramatically affect and change the overall flavours and end result of the coffee.
What other things the Luwak eats can become complex variations that will also reflect the final flavours in the cupping.
After nearly nine years of learning the inside and out of this illusive creature of the night, we believe we have finally earned our own jungle-qualifications to produce and market truly wild Kopi Luwak.
