A century ago Puerto Rico was actually one of the world's largest exporters of coffee. Today? Not so much. Today, only about 1% of the coffee produced in Puerto Rico is exported. There are however, still a number of great Puerto Rican coffees available. As Puerto Rico is an unincorporated United States territory, coffee beans can be traded directly and easily.

Alto Grande is one of the most well known Puerto Rican coffee brands. Their full name is actually Alto Grande Super Premium. Just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? While the name may seem like a bit much, Alto Grande has a pretty good means to back up their Super Premium label. Apparently, since the 1800s, Alto Grande coffee has been highly acclaimed in the royal courts of Europe and the vatican in Rome. I don't know about you, but in my opinion, if Italy backs a particular coffee brand for hundreds of years... it's probably pretty good. In fact, you can remove the word probably from the equation. This coffee is fantastic.

Puerto Rican coffee is subject to strict United States regulations, which results in a consistently high quality product year after year. The best Puerto Rican coffee is often compared to Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee... which is an enormous compliment. Alto Grande coffee has an intensly sweet aroma that engulfs the room... maybe the whole floor. Sweet notes of chocolate and caramel are encapsulated by a full body. Like most Puerto Rican coffees, this one has a mild acidity. It's also worth mentioning that these beans make a mean espresso! However you intend to brew it, Alto Grande coffee is simply fantastic.