Coffee flourishes in the Dominican Republic because several factors come together to create unique growing conditions. The result: distinctive coffee with unparalleled character.

Altitude
Four mountain ranges span the western half of this island nation. Several of its neighbors are renowned for their high mountains and excellent coffee. Yet the Dominican Republic has the highest mountains of all. It is home to the loftiest peak in the Caribbean, the 3175-meter (10,417-foot) Pico Duarte. Specialty coffee is planted on terraced mountain slopes, with the best quality beans produced at altitudes of 1000 meters (3,500 feet) and above.

Latitude
The island lies at 19 degrees north, and thus enjoys a climate that is noticeably different from the rest of the coffee-producing regions in the Americas. Warm ocean currents and gentle trade winds keep the temperature ideal for coffee cultivation, although it is sufficiently cool during the winter to induce 3 to 5 flowerings on coffee plants. Numerous flowerings, throughout a range of high altitudes, mean that coffee is produced almost year-round in the Dominican Republic.

Specialty coffees from the Dominican Republic have been described as smooth, bright, and romantic, with medium body and medium to high acidity.

Rainfall
There is no definite rainy season in the Dominican Republic. Instead, rainfall (1,800 to 2,000 mm) is favorably distributed throughout the year. Nurtured by soft rains that span a long growing season, coffee cherries ripen slowly, insuring greater consistency and quality in the resulting beans.

Soils
In contrast to the volcanic soils of Central America, three of the mountain ranges in the Dominican Republic are formed primarily of limestone, while the fourth range is composed of granite. Calcium and other minerals in these mountain soils impart a unique taste to DR coffee, making it exceptional even in the pantheon of specialty coffees available to connoisseurs today.

Dominican Republic Specialty Coffee:
Facts at a Glance
Coffee Type: 100% Arabica 
Botanical Varieties: Typica, Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai; 85-90% of the specialty coffee produced in the DR is Typica.
 
Harvest: October through June (depending on altitude) 
Area in Coffee: 138,000 hectares (345,000 acres) 
Cultivation: 90% shade-grown; mostly organic; environmentally friendly 
Growers: 60,000, of whom 80% cultivate less than 3 hectares (7.5 acres) 
Export: In 2007, 75.000 sacs of 60 kg. (135 lbs.) each* 

*Widespread damage caused by Hurricane Georges in 1998 led to a decline in coffee production.  Export volume is steadily increasing, however, as coffee farms are restored to their former condition.