Xi Jinping Tasted SHB Coffee in Costa Rica Farmer’s Home

When President Xi Jinping visited a rural Costa Rican coffee farm during his state visit in 2013, he didn’t just meet locals — he tasted their coffee. At the home of the Zamora family in the town of Santo Domingo, Heredia province, the Chinese president and his wife Peng Liyuan were invited into a small wooden cabin to try freshly brewed coffee grown on the family’s own land. It’s a moment that offers more than diplomatic symbolism: it’s a rare window into the real taste of Costa Rican specialty coffee, grown at high elevation by multi-generational farming families.

Yes, President Xi Jinping drank SHB-grade coffee from the Diamond Mountain Estate in Tarrazú, Costa Rica — a washed lot of Catúa and Caturra varieties, with notes of citrus, toast, and clean caramel-chocolate sweetness.

What Happened During Xi’s Coffee Tasting in Costa Rica?

In June 2013, during an official state visit to Costa Rica, President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan made an unscheduled stop at the humble home of the Zamora family in Santo Domingo, Heredia Province. The elderly couple, who have been farming coffee for decades, welcomed the Chinese guests with open arms. After touring the family’s clean and tidy farmhouse, Xi and his wife were led to the backyard coffee plantation, where they discussed the details of coffee cultivation, production, and sales with Señor Zamora, a coffee grower for over 52 years.

Where Was the Coffee Grown and What Makes It SHB?

The coffee served to President Xi came from the Diamond Mountain Estate located in the Tarrazú region, one of Costa Rica’s most renowned coffee-growing zones. The beans were classified as SHB — Strictly Hard Bean — which means they were grown at elevations above 1,200 meters. This altitude slows the bean’s maturation, resulting in a denser, higher-quality bean with more complex flavours. The coffee was produced by local smallholders in the Tarrazú area, and grown on what the hosts referred to as the Diamond Mountain Estate.

How Was the Coffee Processed and What Flavours Did It Have?

Although the detailed processing method served to the President wasn’t explicitly named in the report, the overall offering from the region and farm context points to a classic washed process. The varieties were Catúa and Caturra — both classic, high-yielding coffees suited for the Tarrazú terroir. The flavours reported included ‘light orange-citrus tones, toast, caramel, cocoa sweetness’ and the cup was noted for being clean in profile. These tasting notes align closely with high-altitude washed coffees from Tarrazú, renowned for their bright acidity and structured sweetness.

What Does SHB Mean in Costa Rican Coffee?

SHB stands for Strictly Hard Bean, a classification given to coffee beans grown at elevations typically above 1,200 metres in Costa Rica. At these heights, the cooler temperatures slow down bean development, leading to a harder, denser bean with concentrated sugars and more vibrant flavour potential. SHB is a baseline premium grade in Costa Rica, often a stepping stone to higher speciality distinctions, and is highly sought after by roasters for its balance and complexity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of coffee did Xi Jinping drink in Costa Rica?

President Xi Jinping drank a cup of SHB-grade coffee grown in the Tarrazú region of Costa Rica. It was a washed process coffee made from Catua and Caturra varieties, featuring flavours of citrus, toast, caramel, and cocoa. The coffee came from the Diamond Mountain Estate and was produced by local smallholder farmers.

Where is the Diamond Mountain Estate located?

The Diamond Mountain Estate is located in the Tarrazú region of Costa Rica, a well-known high-altitude coffee-growing area. Tarrazú is famous for producing some of the country’s most sought-after SHB coffees, celebrated for their bright acidity and rich profiles.

What is SHB coffee and why is it important?

SHB stands for Strictly Hard Bean, a grade given to coffee grown at elevations above 1,200 metres in Costa Rica. These beans mature more slowly, become denser, and develop more complex flavours. SHB is a mark of high quality and is a standard grade for premium Costa Rican coffees.

What coffee varieties were served to Xi Jinping?

The coffee served to President Xi Jinping was a blend of the Catua and Caturra varieties. Both are common in Costa Rica for their balance of sweetness, acidity, and suitability to high-altitude growing conditions like those in Tarrazú.

What flavours were noted in the coffee Xi tasted?

The coffee was described as having light orange-citrus notes, a toast-like character, and a clean finish with caramel and cocoa sweetness. These are typical tasting notes for well-processed, high-altitude washed coffees from Tarrazú.

Who grew the coffee that President Xi drank?

The coffee was grown by the Zamora family, a multi-generational coffee farming household in Santo Domingo, Heredia Province. The beans were produced by local smallholders from the Diamond Mountain Estate in the Tarrazú region.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for SHB Coffee Fans

For drinkers curious about the profile of SHB Costa Rican coffee similar to what President Xi tasted, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Strawberry Candy Espresso — a washed Geisha-influenced blend with bright citrus and berry notes, or the FrontStreet Black Cocoa Blend, which offers deep caramel and chocolate tones like those noted in the Tarrazú cup. For something more classic, their Yirgacheffe single origins also highlight citrus and floral brightness common in high-altitude SHB lots. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.