Starbucks $7 cup of Joe's jolting

How deep are coffee lovers willing to dig for a cup?

Starbucks is pushing the limit with the latest offering from its "Reserve" line of premium coffee. A 16-ounce "grande" cup of its Costa Rica Finca Palmilera is selling for $7.

The Seattle java giant attributes the jolting price to the rarity of the Geisha coffee, a naturally low-yielding, heirloom varietal that only grows at extremely high altitudes.

"This price is based on limited availability and appeals to a particular audience, like one who loves sampling boutique wines that are available in limited quantities," spokeswoman Alisa Martinez said.

The coffee is only being sold in 46 Starbucks in Seattle and Portland, Ore. Good thing, because bean-heads in South Boston's Seaport District roasted the new offering yesterday.

"It's ridiculous," said Vanessa Eusse of Everett, a 23-year-old restaurant server and self-described Starbucks fanatic who prefers lattes. "That's way too much — unless it had little pieces of gold in it."

If someone wants to pay $7 for a coffee, that's their prerogative, but don't count in lawyer Erik Weibust. "I don't like coffee that much," he said.

Starbucks says coffee connoisseurs will appreciate the intense flavors of Finca Palmilera, whose half-pound bags go for $40.

"A trained nose and palate will pick up delicate floral aromas, flavors of white peach and pineapple, and a juicy herbal complexity," Martinez said.

There's a good market for premium products in almost every retail category, according to Ron Paul, president of Technomic, a food industry research and consulting firm in Chicago.

"Maybe they'll put it in a special cup, so when you're walking down the street, people will say, 'Hey, there's someone who really knows premium coffee,' " he quipped.

But Melvin Gonzales' eyes widened in disbelief at such a costly cup of Joe.

"Why buy a $7 coffee, when McDonald's got it for a dollar?" said Gonzales, who works for a refrigeration company.

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