About the Coffee
The coffee is processed through anaerobic fermentation which treatment has enable this coffee to gain rich liqueur chocolate flavour with a hint of hawthorn slices in the after tastes. In China, coffee with an alcoholic flavour and a hint of chocolate has become very popular and highly regarded. This market trend has significantly influenced many coffee estates in Yunnan to produce coffee with a liqueur chocolate flavour. In February 2024, the QC team at Yun Dian Coffee hosted a special cupping event, selecting 24 Yunnan coffees that featured this distinctive flavour. This coffee is the winner the event and has earned the title of 'King of Liquor Coffee' within Yun Dian.

About
Yirong Estate
Yirong Coffee Estate, situated in the eastern part of Paleng Village, Mengma Town, Menglian County, Pu'er City, boasts a unique topography with higher elevations in the north and lower elevations in the south, surrounded by lush greenery. The estate spans an altitude range of 1300 to 1600 meters, benefiting from a subtropical monsoon climate and year-round natural spring water from the mountain ridges. These ideal conditions make Yirong Coffee Estate a prime location for coffee cultivation.
Covering over 2000 acres, the estate is home to more than 600,000 coffee trees, primarily of the Catimor p3 and p4 varieties. The peak harvest season runs from November to February, yielding an annual production of approximately 1000 to 1500 tons.

Yirong Coffee Estate adheres to stringent harvesting standards, ensuring that only fully ripe red cherries are picked to maintain the quality and flavor of the coffee beans. The estate is committed to sustainable farming practices, using compost instead of chemical pesticides and utilizing mountain spring water for the coffee washing process. This results in coffee with a high sugar content and a distinct “Yirong” flavor profile characterized by sweetness, freshness, and richness.
The estate maintains a clean and well-organized drying area, prohibiting poultry to ensure hygiene. Employees follow strict protocols to ensure even drying and prevent mold growth. Premium coffee beans are sun-dried using African Beds imported, where the cherries are laid out on mesh beds for optimal sun exposure.

Next Chapter - The 'young owner' of the estate:
Luo Yi, who returned from studying in Canada in 2016, is a true "second-generation coffee producer". In 1988, her father, Luo Chenglong, planted coffee in Dakaihe Village, Pu'er City, making it one of the first successful large-scale coffee plantations in the city. Ten years later, her parents established the Yirong Coffee Estate in Menglian County, Pu'er City.
For many years, coffee-producing areas in Yunnan faced similar challenges: extensive farming methods and low product prices, resulting in a long-standing situation where "one kilogram of coffee beans could not fetch the price of a cup of coffee."

Growing up immersed in the coffee culture, Luo Yi has always considered coffee an integral part of her life. Since 2016 - the year she stated to be in charge of the Estate, Luo Yi actively aligned with international organic coffee standards, encouraging farmers to use organic fertilizers and avoid pesticides and herbicides. Although this significantly increased costs, the estate successfully obtained EU organic certification, becoming a fully licensed coffee estate qualified to export organic coffee to European and American markets.
"Over the years, the quality of Yunnan coffee has improved, and many overseas buyers are willing to label it as 'Yunnan Coffee,'" Luo Yi – Owner of Yirong Estate said. The name "Yirong" has begun appearing in cafes in international cities such as Tokyo, London, and Istanbul, allowing the coffee beans to fetch higher prices.