Kopi Luwak is famous for being one of the most expensive and unusual coffees in the world. It is produced using coffee beans that have been eaten and excreted by the Asian palm civet, a small cat-like mammal. The civets selectively eat the ripest coffee cherries. During digestion, enzymes in the civet's stomach break down the proteins that give coffee its bitter taste, while the bean itself remains intact. The beans are then collected from the forest floor, thoroughly cleaned, and roasted. The result is a coffee with a remarkably smooth, earthy flavor and low acidity. While it can sell for hundreds of dollars per pound, the industry has faced significant criticism regarding the ethical treatment of civets kept in captivity for mass production.