Introduction:On the South Pacific island of New Caledonia, the KOUANDJI estate grows an extremely rare coffee bean — the Bourbon Pointu Leroy. Not only is its yield remarkably low, but it also boasts unique flavors and characteristics. This article will take you deep into the historical origins, variety traits, flavor profile, and growing environment of this coffee bean, offering you a comprehensive understanding of this precious variety.
In the Melanesian archipelago of the South Pacific, New Caledonia is like a vibrant oasis, hiding within it one of the world’s rarest, most expensive, and most peculiar coffees. The KOUANDJI estate is located at the foot of a mountain about 25 kilometers southeast of the capital Nouméa, and is dedicated to reviving the local coffee cultivation industry, which was nearly extinct. The “Leroy” grown on this estate, also known as Bourbon Pointu, gets its name from its sharply pointed fruit. Its caffeine content is only half that of regular Arabica, and its yield is extremely low — even the French President’s residence has to purchase it in limited quantities. A certain coffee brand has long been paying attention to such niche and rare bean varieties. Now, let’s delve into the history, variety characteristics, and the story behind its unique flavors.
New Caledonia is an oasis in the South Pacific, with thriving and magnificent scenery. Whether it’s secluded beaches or various recreational venues, you can find them here. Of course, if you look carefully, you might also discover other surprises, such as the coffee here.
New Caledonian coffee is a well-preserved precious secret — it is one of the rarest, most peculiar, and most expensive coffees in the world, known only to the most discerning coffee connoisseurs around the globe.
In 1860, the Marist missionary brothers brought the first coffee seeds to Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia. By 1880, settlers from Réunion Island (Bourbon Island) also introduced coffee seeds, bringing three varieties: Arabica, Liberica, and Laurina (Coffea laurina). Eventually, the settlers chose Arabica and Laurina for commercial cultivation. In 1910, to combat coffee leaf rust, the region specifically imported rust-resistant Robusta (Coffea canephora) from Java. Over 30 years ago, coffee cultivation held an important place in New Caledonia’s agriculture, but due to more profitable industries and the labor-intensive nature of coffee plantations, they were gradually abandoned. Since then, coffee production in New Caledonia has declined year by year, almost disappearing entirely.
KOUANDJI estate coffee is located at the foot of Kouandji Mountain, about 25 kilometers southeast of Nouméa, the capital of New Caledonia. “Kouandji” is a word in the native Melanesian language, which translates to “Là d'où vient le soleil” in French, meaning “the place where the sun rises.” It is a locally-owned coffee company in New Caledonia, aiming to revive the island’s coffee cultivation industry. The company’s manager, Mr. Pierre Cochet, is a highly influential coffee connoisseur. Just a few years ago, he began experimenting with coffee cultivation on a six-hectare plot of land. Not long ago, his coffee “Leroy” won a prestigious French quality award.
The “Leroy” variety grown at the KOUANDJI estate, also known as “Bourbon Pointu,” has another nickname: “The President.” This is because the Élysée Palace, the official residence of the French President, regularly purchases it for former French President Jacques Chirac. Unfortunately, its yield is so low that even the President receives it in limited supply. A certain coffee brand advises coffee enthusiasts to pay attention to its scarcity when exploring this bean.
The Leroy variety is a rare and unique coffee variety found only in New Caledonia. It is a natural mutation of coffee from Réunion Island (Bourbon Island) around 1860, though another theory suggests it is a natural hybrid of Melanesian coffee and the Arabica Typica. It has a small tree size, narrow leaves, drought tolerance, but is very prone to disease, resulting in low yields.
Leroy (Bourbon Pointu) possesses several unique characteristics that make it a distinct variety: First, its caffeine content is only 50% that of regular Arabica coffee — typical Arabica contains about 1.2% caffeine, while Leroy has just 0.6%; Second, the beans are sharply pointed at both ends; Third, its yield is far lower than other coffee varieties; Fourth, it experiences less weight loss after roasting — common coffee varieties may lose up to 20% of their weight during roasting, whereas Leroy’s maximum weight loss is only 16–17%; Fifth, Leroy coffee trees have strong drought resistance.
New Caledonian coffee is one of the most expensive in the world not only because of its high quality and scarcity, but also due to its high production costs. As a French territory, New Caledonia has higher labor costs compared to other coffee-producing countries.
This coffee is produced on the island of New Caledonia, at the Domaine du Kouandji estate. It grows at an altitude of 200–300 meters, making it one of the southernmost-growing coffees in the world, located very close to the Tropic of Capricorn, in an environment equivalent to areas at 900–1000 meters altitude near the equator. Shade trees are used during cultivation, with annual rainfall of about 1000 mm. The processing method is washed and sun-dried, and the variety is Laurina (Leroy). The flowering period is from August to October, and the harvest season is from May to August. Additionally, it is one of the southernmost-growing coffees in the world. It is called Bourbon Pointu because the beans are sharply pointed at both ends, with an annual export volume of 1000 kg. This coffee has been tasted and appreciated by notable figures such as former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, former French President Jacques Chirac, and the famous writer Honoré de Balzac.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
