Skip to content
36PROD. RANK · No.36Cuba
Caribbean · ORIGIN No.36

キューバ

A historic origin grown in the Sierra Maestra since the 18th century.

arabicawashed
Log a tasting
§ 01
KEY FIGURES

Key figures

Production rank
World No.36
Caribbean
Annual production
0.1M bags
60kg / bag
Recommended roast
Dark
dark
Certifications
organic
Certified
§ 02
OVERVIEW

Overview

A historic origin grown in the Sierra Maestra since the 18th century. Brands such as 'Cubita' and 'Crystal Mountain' trade as premium. A dark-roast tendency with strong sweetness, popular for traditional espresso.

§ 03
HISTORY · TERROIR · CULTURE

History & culture

Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean, carries a coffee history running since the 18th century. Arabica from the eastern Sierra Maestra and beyond drinks low-acid and heavy-bodied, with composed flavors of tobacco and dark chocolate — the embodiment of the traditional, weighty Caribbean cup.

A history in the Sierra Maestra

Coffee took serious root in Cuba in the late 18th century, when French settlers fleeing the Haitian Revolution established plantations in the eastern mountains. The remains of those early coffee farms on the slopes of the Sierra Maestra are inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site for their historical value. Through revolution and embargo, production has swung widely — but coffee remains a crop carved deep into Cuban culture and history.

Turquino and Crystal Mountain

Cuban coffee is classified into grades based on growing altitude and quality, known by names like "Turquino" for the highest band and "Crystal Mountain" for its smooth character. The flavor leans not on sharp acidity but on heavy body, sweetness and a finish of spice and tobacco. The long US embargo made it hard to obtain in North America for years, and so it has been spoken of as an origin wrapped in rarity and romance.

§ 04
FLAVOR PROFILE

Flavor profile

Production world shareNo. 36
Max altitude max altitude1,200 m
Growing regions growing regions1 regions

Computed from all of Cuba’s regions. Max altitude references the SCA-recommended 1,500–2,200m.

FloralFruityAcidityChocolateNuttySpiceBodySweetness
§ 05
FOOD PAIRING

Food pairing

Brownie
deepens the chocolate
Tiramisu
richness melds for a long finish
Hazelnut
boosts the toasty notes
Ginger cookie
spices layer pleasantly
Apple compote
warm aromatics suit it
§ 06
GROWING REGIONS · 1

Growing regions

§ 07
WHERE TO BUY

Find Cuba coffee

Check stock and prices on each retailer. Links marked “PR” are affiliate links; a purchase may earn this site revenue.

§ 08
ROASTERS

Roasters carrying this origin

§ 09
SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscriptions delivering this origin

Subscription
§ 10
SIMILAR ORIGINS

Similar origins

§ 11
KINDRED REGIONS

Kindred-flavor regions

Starting from flavors common to all of Cuba’s regions, here are 3 similar regions from other countries.