What is Royal Kona Private Reserve?
The pure Kona that Royal Kona sells most of, roasted to a medium.
Royal Kona is one of the brands of Hawaii Coffee Company, a Honolulu roaster that also owns Lion Coffee. Royal Kona says it has worked with Kona coffee farmers since 1969, and Private Reserve is its most popular 100% Kona. It is a medium roast, described by the maker as full bodied, aromatic and smooth, with subtle notes of chocolate and toasted nuts and a hint of bright fruit acidity. Royal Kona also quotes a "superior" rating from the American Academy of Taste, which is a competition result rather than a measurement.
It comes in a 7 oz bag, whole bean or ground, and a 2 lb bag of whole bean. It sits on the Hawaii Coffee Company roaster page with the rest of the range.
What 100% Kona means, and what a Kona blend means
The number on the bag is the whole story, so read it before the word Kona.
Kona coffee is coffee grown in the Kona districts on the west side of Hawaii's Big Island, on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa. Coffee grown anywhere else in Hawaii is Hawaiian coffee, but it is not Kona. The supply is small, the farms are small, the picking is by hand and American labour costs apply, which is why a bag of pure Kona costs three to five times what a good mainland roaster charges for a single origin.
That price is also why Kona blends exist. Hawaii's labelling law lets a coffee be called a Kona blend if at least ten percent of it is Kona, and the label must say how much. A 10% Kona blend is nine parts other coffee to one part Kona. It can be a perfectly good cup, but it is not the same thing as 100% Kona, and the price difference tells you so. When you shop, look for the percentage first.
Price, and what a cup costs
Kona prices, with a real saving in the big bag.
| Bag | Sold as | Price | Per kilo | Per cup (15 g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 198 g (7 oz) | Whole bean or ground | $34.95 | $176.16 | $2.64 |
| 907 g (2 lb) | Whole bean | $149.95 | $165.29 | $2.48 |
At 15 g a cup, the 7 oz bag makes about thirteen cups at $2.64 each. The 2 lb bag makes about sixty, at $2.48. That is roughly three times what a good single origin costs from a mainland roaster, and the reason is the origin, not the roaster: every pure Kona on this site sits in the same range.
Everything ships from Honolulu by UPS or USPS, with rates worked out from the weight of the box, and most orders leave within one or two business days. Free shipping turns up as an occasional promotion to the lower 48 states, not as a standing threshold, so the price at checkout is the price plus postage from Hawaii.
A subscription cuts the price. Hawaii Coffee Company's code SUB20 takes 20% off the first subscription order, then 15% off the second and 20% off every order after that, with delivery every two, four or eight weeks. On 100% Kona the discount is capped at 15%.
Royal Kona Private Reserve vs Koa Coffee Private Reserve
Two medium roast pure Konas with the same name on the bag.
The obvious comparison is the Koa Coffee Private Reserve Medium Roast, from a grower and roaster on the slopes of Mauna Loa. Koa sells it at $42 for 8 oz and $155 for 2 lb, about $171 a kilo in the big bag, and it prints a roasted on date on the bag. Royal Kona is a little cheaper in both sizes, about $165 a kilo for 2 lb, but publishes no roast date and does not say whose farms the coffee comes from.
So the choice is between a small saving and a date you can check. If you drink Kona every day and buy the 2 lb bag, the saving is about $5 a bag. If you buy a small bag now and then, the roast date on Koa Coffee is worth more than the difference. Private Reserve is not a legal grade for either of them; it is each roaster's own name for its house pure Kona.
How to brew it
Gently. A medium roast Kona is delicate, and strong brewing hides what you paid for.
Kona is prized for being smooth and mild rather than intense, so brew it in a way that keeps it clean. A pour over or a drip brewer at about 1:16, 15 g of coffee to 240 g of water, is a good start; our coffee to water ratio guide explains how to adjust from there. A French press works too, but its heavier body can bury the lighter notes. Avoid dark roasting habits: milk, sugar and a very strong ratio will make it taste like any other coffee, at three times the price.
Buy whole bean if you have a grinder, because a 2 lb bag lasts a household several weeks and ground coffee goes stale faster. Keep the bag sealed, cool and out of the light; our guide to storing coffee beans covers the rest.
Is it worth it?
Yes, if you want pure Kona and a 2 lb bag makes sense for you.
Royal Kona Private Reserve is what it says: 100% Kona from a long established Hawaii brand, at a fair price for Kona. You give up the transparency that a single estate grower offers, meaning a roast date and the name of the farm. If the Kona itself is what you are buying, and not the story of one farm, this is one of the cheaper ways to buy it in bulk.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Buy it if
- You want 100% Kona, not a blend, at a lower price per kilo than most.
- You drink enough Kona to use a 2 lb bag.
- You like a smooth medium roast with chocolate and nut notes.
Skip it if
- You want a roast date on the bag.
- You want Kona for its flavour in a latte; a cheaper coffee will do the same job in milk.
- You are after the brighter style; the Hawaiian Lion 24k Gold Roast is Hawaii Coffee Company's other pure Kona.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Royal Kona Private Reserve 100% Kona?
Yes. It is sold as 100% Kona coffee, not a Kona blend.
What does it taste like?
Royal Kona describes a smooth, full bodied medium roast with chocolate, toasted nuts and a hint of bright fruit acidity.
How much does it cost?
$34.95 for a 7 oz bag and $149.95 for a 2 lb bag, about $176 and $165 a kilo.
Who makes Royal Kona coffee?
Hawaii Coffee Company of Honolulu, which also makes Lion Coffee.
Is there a subscription discount?
Yes. Subscriptions save up to 20% on most coffee, but pure Kona is capped at 15%.
