How is Taiwan Coffee? Where to Find the Best Coffee Beans in Taiwan and What Are Their Flavor Characteristics?

FrontStreet Coffee - Taiwan Coffee Introduction

Taiwan, located in the golden belt for coffee cultivation between north and south latitudes, is home to the famous Alishan region. With its ideal altitude, air quality, soil composition, and temperature, Alishan is perfectly suited for growing high-quality coffee beans. However, from 1884 when the British first brought coffee trees to Taiwan, the industry remained relatively obscure for over a century. Coffee farmers didn't devote themselves to cultivation, missing opportunities during the Japanese colonial period and the American aid era. When they finally began serious cultivation, they faced Taiwan's devastating 921 earthquake, which couldn't break the spirits of coffee farmers and enthusiasts.

But they didn't give up. Taiwanese people poured their sweat and dedication into their work, and in 2009, their efforts were finally recognized globally. Alishan coffee beans took the stage of the world's specialty coffee scene, achieving the honor of 11th place—the best performance in all of Asia. This was the first time Asia had achieved such a high ranking, giving the few organic coffee estates on Alishan tremendous confidence while attracting global attention.

From that point on, Taiwan's coffee estate owners broadened their horizons, investing more energy into coffee cultivation. They became better at gathering global specialty coffee information, mastering cupping techniques, and paying greater attention to post-processing. In 2014, during the Q Certificate certification by America's CQI (Coffee Quality Institute), Taichung's Long Coffee Organic Ecological Park scored 84.41 points, while Alishan's Tropical Rhythm Estate's submitted coffee beans reached an impressive 84.67 points, surpassing many global specialty coffee beans and even rivaling Kenya AA. In 2015, their scores exceeded 85 points, further distancing themselves from competitors.

Unfortunately, Taiwan is small, with annual coffee production not exceeding 700 metric tons, let alone the limited production of award-winning beans from Alishan competitions. This scarcity has made it a sought-after specialty cultivation destination for global connoisseurs. In Taiwan's 130-year coffee cultivation history, eight major production regions have emerged. Today, beyond producing world-class specialty coffee that captivates global masters...

The coffee trees are low-yield Typica varieties, planted at 1,200 meters altitude in Alishan, with citrus and longan trees as companion shade species. They practice organic cultivation certified by the American Coffee Association. Tropical Rhythm Estate employs rotational fallow farming methods, allowing organic soil to fully develop, so currently only 2.5 hectares can be harvested, with just 500 kilograms of cherries per hectare. This batch we obtained was unaffected by frost damage.

Upon tasting, the tongue doesn't detect obvious dry sweetness, but there's a distinct tea-like astringency—a rather unique sensation. As the coffee flows to the middle sides of the tongue, a bright and lively citrus acidity immediately jumps across the palate. As you swallow the coffee liquid, the citrus acidity quickly fades, revealing a distinct and clear personality with pure mouthfeel. The highlight is that even 10 minutes after swallowing, the coffee's sweet aftertaste lingers in the throat—the aftertaste lasts exceptionally long, clearly characteristic of high-altitude coffee beans. But this aftertaste isn't the typical bitterness of coffee; it's a wonderful flavor I can't quite describe, like having enjoyed a fine tea that remains comfortably in the throat.

FrontStreet Coffee Philosophy

In summary: FrontStreet Coffee is a coffee research hall, happy to share coffee knowledge with everyone. We share without reservation to help more friends fall in love with coffee. Every month, we hold three coffee promotion events with significant discounts because FrontStreet Coffee wants to let more friends enjoy the best coffee at the lowest possible prices—this has been our mission for six years!

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