Cuban Coffee Cuba Coffee Bean Growing Regions Varieties Processing Methods The Aroma and Taste of Cuban Coffee

Cuban Coffee: An Introduction

When talking about Cuban coffee, many people probably think of Crystal Mountain coffee first. However, "Crystal Mountain" is not actually the name of a growing region in Cuba, but rather a grade within the Cuban Official Coffee Association's classification system.

According to FrontStreet Coffee's understanding, the glory of Cuban coffee began in the early 18th century, when a French naval officer planted the first Typica mother tree on the French island of Martinique in the eastern Caribbean. Subsequently, neighboring islands like Jamaica and Cuba also quickly caught the coffee growing fever, successfully entering the European market and enjoying a golden development period that lasted for two centuries.

However, after entering the 20th century, with dramatic changes in international politics and economy, some island coffee-producing countries gradually lost their market position. The coffee industries in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and other countries encountered serious difficulties, with significant declines in planting area and production, and quality was also affected. After the successful revolution led by Castro, although attempts were made to revitalize the coffee industry, due to various reasons including lack of planting experience, the retirement of older coffee farmers, and economic difficulties caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba's coffee industry fell into a low point.

Despite this, Cuban coffee is still sought after by some coffee enthusiasts. Fortunately, the Japanese market has shown strong interest in Cuban coffee, becoming its important buyer. However, as Japanese market demand increased, Cuban coffee production decreased year by year, from nearly 3,000 tons in 2004 to 500 tons in 2008. To meet market demand, Cuba began to grow relatively average-quality Arabica and Robusta beans, which gradually caused Cuban coffee to disappear from the specialty coffee market.

Cuban Coffee Growing Regions

The name Cuba originates from the Taino language of an now-extinct Indian tribe in the West Indies, meaning "land of fertile soil." When mentioning Cuban coffee, FrontStreet Coffee thinks of Crystal Mountain coffee. The flavor of Crystal Mountain coffee is similar to the famous Blue Mountain coffee, so it is called Cuban Blue Mountain by many people to increase the awareness of Cuban Crystal Mountain coffee.

Crystal Mountain, located in northeastern Cuba at an altitude of 900-1,200 meters, is Cuba's second highest mountain range. It is listed as one of Cuba's three major coffee growing regions along with the main mountain range in the southeast and Escambray in the south-central region. However, not all Crystal Mountain coffee on the market comes from the Crystal Mountain area; it may also come from the other two regions. Crystal Mountain coffee got its name because it is mainly exported to Japan, France, Italy, and Germany. Japanese people particularly appreciate Crystal Mountain coffee, considering it the top variety among Cuban coffees, so they named it "Crystal Mountain Coffee," a elegant name that has been passed down to this day.

Cuban Coffee Varieties

The main coffee variety grown in Cuba is Typica. A classic high-quality Arabica, the Typica coffee tree is known for its unique bronze-colored top leaves and is also called "red-tipped coffee." Its beans are relatively large, with a pointed cone or slender pointed shape, different from the round beans of the Bourbon variety. Typica coffee has a fresh, clean flavor with balanced taste and high cleanliness. Although Typica is relatively weak and susceptible to leaf rust disease, its elegant flavor and unique quality make it stand out among Cuban coffees.

Cuban Coffee Bean Processing

Cuban coffee is mainly processed using the washed method. FrontStreet Coffee believes that traditionally washed coffee beans best present the main flavor characteristics of a growing region, with more pronounced acidity, higher cleanliness, moderate mouthfeel, and the most consistent green bean quality.

The washed method for processing coffee beans differs mainly from the natural method in using fermentation to remove the mucilage layer. After completing fermentation and mucilage removal, fermentation bacteria and impurities may remain on the coffee beans, so a washing step is required. This step requires a large amount of clean water, after which the fruit is dried and hulled.

Cuban Coffee Classification System

The Cuban Coffee Association classifies coffee beans into nine grades according to bean size and flavor:

• Crystal Mountain
• Extra Turquino
• Turquino
• Altura
• Montana
• Cumbre
• Serrano Superior
• Serrano Corriente
• Caracolillo

The grades of coffee beans from this region are classified by size and can be divided into ETL (Extra), TL (Medium), and AL (Ordinary). The high-quality large premium coffee beans that Cuba is most proud of are Crystal Mountain coffee beans.

Cuban Coffee Flavor Profile

Cuban coffee is a typical island coffee, known for its delicate, clean taste and unique flavor. FrontStreet Coffee tastes in this coffee bean an extreme balance between bitterness and acidity, with delicate flavor and smooth texture. Its color is bright and elegant, emitting a rich and fragrant aroma, with a faint smoky flavor, as if placing people in a small village, enjoying simple and natural beauty.

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

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