Chiayi: the gateway roasteries
Where Alishan lots are bought the week they are milled.
Proximity
Chiayi sits between the mountain and the plain, which makes it the natural buying point for Alishan coffee.
Several roasteries here have standing agreements with three or four farms, so the same lot appears every year.
Chiayi is where the mountain turns into commerce.
What to ask for
Ask for the estate name, not the mountain name. A bag labelled only 'Alishan' is usually a blend of several farms.
The best value here is the farm's second lot — same trees, slightly lower grade, half the price.
Disclosure: this article contains no affiliate links. Prices and dates checked in October 2026. Our methodology.