Small specialty origin: arabica from Shan State highlands and Pyin Oo Lwin, often described as balanced, with citrus, stone fruit and chocolate notes.
Myanmar is a small coffee producer. Arabica is grown mainly in Shan State and around Pyin Oo Lwin (in Mandalay Region, on the Shan plateau), with Ywangan among the better-known specialty areas, while robusta is grown at lower elevations and in the south. Arabica farms are often reported at roughly 900 to 1,700 meters. Varieties cited include Catuai, Catimor, SL-34, Typica and Bourbon, and lots are washed, natural or honey processed. Coffee is reported to have been brought to the country in the late 1800s by British and missionary interests.
History
Coffee is reported to have been brought to Myanmar in the late 1800s by British and missionary interests, reaching Pyin Oo Lwin in the 1930s according to one importer. Commercial production reportedly stagnated after the British left and grew again after the 2011-2012 reforms, with attention from specialty buyers growing since.
Field notes
- i
Pyin Oo Lwin was the British summer capital of Burma, and its cool highland climate supports strawberries, avocados and temperate vegetables as well as coffee.
- ii
One importer reports coffee reached Pyin Oo Lwin in the 1930s, with commercial production stagnating after the mid-1900s and growing again after the 2011-2012 reforms.
Where it growsShan plateau arabica areas lie around 21°N (Pindaya is at 20°57′N), grown at highland elevations often reported at 900-1,700 m.
In the cup, according to guides
- AcidityOften notedOften described with balanced acidity alongside citrus and stone fruit notes.
- CitrusOften notedCitrus notes are commonly cited for Myanmar lots.
Regions of Myanmar
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Myanmar's largest state, a highland arabica area whose smallholders, around Ywangan and beyond, mostly dry their coffee as naturals.
Ywangan · Pindaya
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Central Myanmar region whose Pyin Oo Lwin hill town is described as the centre of the country's growing arabica coffee industry.
Sources · 3 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-11-11. Some details here are less settled than others.
- The Coffee Atlas: Myanmar · Morning Fix Coffee Co.
- Profile - Myanmar · Nilaa Coffee
- Pyin Oo Lwin · Wikipedia