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Lao Coffee vs Vietnamese Coffee: Which Tastes Better? Best Lao Coffee Brands That Are Good and Affordable

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange. For more coffee bean information, please follow Cafe_Style (WeChat public account cafe_style). FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Lao Coffee: Laos's special volcanic geology and climate create exceptionally flavorful coffee. In fact, Lao coffee beans are somewhat different from coffee beans in other Southeast Asian regions. It is the only deep inland volcanic plateau that doesn't rely on the sea, with a special natural geographical environment.

Professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Cafe_Style (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Lao Coffee

"Lao's special volcanic geology and climate create exceptionally flavorful coffee." In fact, Lao's coffee beans are somewhat different from coffee beans in other Southeast Asian regions. It is the only deep inland volcanic plateau that does not rely on the sea, with a special natural geographical environment. After the fruits turn red, they are manually picked with meticulous harvest planning and strict natural sun-drying control, creating exceptionally flavorful coffee. The coffee produced here has a unique taste, mellow and rich, deeply favored by consumers.

Tasting experts' comments on Lao coffee are: complex and rich aroma, with the earthy flavor of Mandheling, almost no acidity or bitterness can be tasted, unlike the lower quality Vietnamese coffee.

Lao coffee has excellent quality. According to data from the French Agricultural Research Center for International Development (CIRAD), Lao's coffee beans are among the twelve best coffee beans in the world. This is because Lao's excellent natural environment advantages precisely meet the growth requirements for coffee cultivation: high altitude, constant temperature, high humidity, and good drainage.

The main coffee-producing region, the Bolaven Plateau in southern Lao, has an altitude ranging from 500 to 1200 meters, with an average temperature of 8-25 degrees Celsius. The soil is almost natural, pollution-free, and high-quality volcanic soil without chemical substances. Moreover, this region is the source of many rivers, ensuring an abundant supply of clean water in the area. There are 2.5 million hectares of coffee plantations here. Farmers do not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers during the coffee tree cultivation process, only using water buffalo excrement for fertilization, which meets environmental standards and is virtually pollution-free.

In competition with other countries, Lao's coffee export management still faces some challenges, namely the lack of an effective and standard management system for coffee bean growing regions and standards for other aspects. Hunla Manivon, Vice President of the Lao Coffee Export Federation, has also stated: "Lao lacks a standardized system for coffee management."

Lao's coffee cultivation still continues traditional, natural primary cultivation methods. Although it has received assistance from France and others, advanced scientific and technological methods have not yet been applied to production and processing technology, resulting in lower yields in some areas.

Knowledge Point

Coffee powder releases its flavor quickly, so it's best to choose coffee beans to preserve flavor to the greatest extent.

In Brief

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