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How Good is Yunnan Small Bean Coffee? Quality of Yunnan Coffee Beans - Is Yunnan Small Bean Coffee Delicious?

Published: 2026-01-28 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/28, Professional coffee knowledge exchange For more coffee bean information Please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style) FrontStreet Coffee - Yunnan Small Bean Coffee Introduction Large-scale cultivation of Yunnan coffee beans began in the mid-1950s, with the cultivation area once reaching 4,000 hectares. By the end of 1997, the province's coffee cultivation area had reached 7,800 hectares. Currently, the province's cultivation area accounts for 70% of the country's total area, and the production accounts for the entire country's

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)

Introduction to Yunnan Xiaoli Coffee by FrontStreet Coffee

Large-scale cultivation of Yunnan coffee beans began in the mid-1950s, with a cultivation area reaching 4,000 hectares at its peak. By the end of 1997, the province's coffee cultivation area had reached 7,800 hectares. Currently, the province's cultivation area accounts for 70% of the national total, with production accounting for 83% of the country's total. Whether measured by cultivation area or coffee bean production, Yunnan coffee has established its dominant position within China.

The western and southern regions of Yunnan Province are situated between 15° north latitude and the Tropic of Cancer. Most areas have elevations between 1,000-2,000 meters, with predominantly mountainous and sloped terrain that features significant elevation variations. The region benefits from fertile soil, abundant sunshine, plentiful rainfall, and significant day-night temperature differences. These unique natural conditions create the distinctive characteristics of Yunnan Xiaoli coffee—rich but not bitter, aromatic but not intense, with subtle fruity notes. As early as the 1950s, Yunnan Xiaoli coffee was highly popular in the international coffee market and was recognized as a premium grade of coffee.

The cultivation history of Yunnan coffee beans can be traced back to 1892. A French missionary brought coffee seeds from abroad into Yunnan and successfully cultivated them in a valley in Binchuan County, Yunnan Province. To this day, more than thirty coffee plants descended from these original seeds continue to flower and bear fruit in Binchuan County.

In Yunnan's coffee cultivation areas, locals also refer to round beans as "single-cell beans." These primarily grow in the dry-hot valley regions of Baoshan's Lujiangba, at elevations between 535-1,300 meters. They benefit from unique natural conditions and high-level cultivation techniques and management experience. The beans are uniform in shape with a rich, aromatic flavor, making them a traditional premium product of Yunnan coffee.

Roasting Level

Medium to Dark

Flavor Profile

Rich and well-balanced

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