Zuo You Pin Coffee Farm – Taimali, Taitung

Region: Taimali Township, Taitung County

Altitude: 800m

Varietal & Process: Arabica, Water Washed

 

Coastal Cliffs, Mountain Farms, and the Essence of Taiwan’s East

Your journey begins where the mountains crash into the sea. From Taiwan’s dramatic southeast coastline, winding single-lane roads climb sharply inland, navigating sheer drops and shaded gorges. Within half an hour, palm groves and fruit orchards emerge from the mist, eventually giving way to steep hillsides etched with tea and, increasingly, coffee.

Welcome to Taimali, one of Taiwan’s most breathtaking — and demanding — coffee-growing frontiers.

A New Crop on Ancient Land

The Zuo You Pin Coffee Farm sits at 800 meters elevation in the rugged hills above Taimali, Taitung. It’s a region with deep Aboriginal roots, where families have long farmed fruit, herbs, and root vegetables on smallholdings passed down across generations. In recent years, coffee has found a foothold here, thriving in the mountain air, abundant sunshine, and mineral-rich soils.

Unlike the more established tea-growing regions of central Taiwan, the east coast is less developed and more remote, making each coffee harvest a genuine labor of love. Yields are modest — often less than 10 metric tons a year — and farms like Zuo You Pin operate at a highly artisanal scale.

Salt in the Air, Depth in the Cup

What makes coffee from Taimali truly distinctive is its proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The region sees multiple typhoons annually, and sea salt travels inland on mountain winds. Locals believe this contributes to the cup’s unique salinity and subtle floral intensity — what they call “the taste of wind and rock.”

Zuo You Pin’s washed beans express this perfectly. Light-to-medium roasting brings out delicate jasmine notes, rounded peanut sweetness, and a soft, lingering sea salt finish. It’s a profile that defies expectations and rewards curiosity.

Hard Roads, Honest Coffee

Visiting Zuo You Pin requires effort. The drive is steep and narrow. Facilities are basic. There is no milk. No sugar. Sometimes, a sign will politely say so. This is not café coffee — this is origin coffee, offered with pride by farmers who roast lightly, brew cleanly, and let the land speak.

You taste not just a cup, but the climate, soil, and soul of Taiwan’s southeast coast.

A Rare Origin with a Singular Voice

At DOU Taiwan Coffee, we seek out origin stories that matter. Zuo You Pin Coffee Farm is one of those. It’s a place where tradition and experimentation meet — where every bag reflects resilience, wild beauty, and quiet innovation.

We invite you to try a cup that challenges assumptions and celebrates place.
Taste the edge of Taiwan.