Aged for 26 years…! The secret behind the excellent “110,000 yen per cup” coffee

Potari, potari.

From the faucet of an old barrel, black liquid falls drop by drop onto a spoon. After waiting for a while for the liquid to accumulate, I carefully bring the spoon to my mouth to avoid spilling it.

It’s delicious. It’s too good. ……”

The FRIDAY reporter couldn’t help but groan. The first thing that came to mind was a sweetness that was almost like chocolate. The next moment, a slight bitterness of coffee could be felt in the thickening. It was rich and refreshing, with a mellow aroma and full-bodied flavor. In my 30 years as a reporter, I have visited many coffee shops, but I have never tasted coffee like this before.

It is common knowledge that the darker the coffee, the more oxidized and sour it becomes. However, I found an unconventional extraction method and the coffee we have today was born. Normally, 200cc of coffee is brewed from 15g of beans. We brew it slowly over a period of four hours.

That’s what Kan’e Tanaka, owner of the coffee specialty store “The Munch” in Yao City, Osaka, told me. The store’s specialty, “aged coffee,” which astonished the reporter, is now in its 27th year in barrels at minus 3 degrees Celsius, after 26 years. The price is 2,500 yen for a spoonful and 110,000 yen for a cup (including tax), making it an ultimate gem.

We also serve coffee that has been aged for 10 days and coffee that has not been aged, so everyone drinks at least three kinds of coffee. The only people who go to drink 27-year-old coffee are real coffee lovers.

The Munch’s “aged coffee” is famous not only in Japan but also among coffee enthusiasts around the world. In October 2007, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Hamad bin Muhammad Al Sharqeeh from the Emirate of Fujairah, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, visited the store in secret.

He said, “A famous American YouTuber featured our restaurant, and the Crown Prince saw it and became interested. When the Emperor came to Japan for his enthronement ceremony, he dropped by our shop. There were eight of us in all, with interpreters and SPs in tow. Of course, we drank the 110,000 yen coffee. He was so impressed that he gave me a coffee cup as a souvenir.

Prince Al Sharqi must have told the other Arab royals. After that, the Crown Prince of Dubai also contacted The Munch, requesting to visit the restaurant.

The Crown Prince of Dubai also contacted The Munich. I got a call from a travel agent who was attending the Crown Prince’s visit to Japan. He said, “The Crown Prince of Dubai wants to go. But in the end, he couldn’t come because of the corona. I’m sure he’ll come when the Omicron settles down.

The “aged coffee” is recognized by Arab royalty. The shop is open from 6:00 a.m. to 3:30 a.m., so if you are interested, why don’t you come and visit?

From the February 25, 2022 issue of FRIDAY