Introduction:Bourbon coffee is a historic and classic variety within the Arabica family, originating from Réunion Island (formerly known as Bourbon Island), and is one of the oldest genetic lineages alongside Typica. This article delves into the historical spread of the Bourbon variety, details the origins, cultivation status, and unique flavor characteristics of major variants such as Red, Yellow, Pink, Slender, and Pacas, while also supplementing practical cultivation and brewing information—allowing you to fully appreciate the charm of this classic coffee variety.
Bourbon coffee is one of the oldest strains within the Arabica species. It was first established on what is now known as Réunion Island (then called Bourbon Island), and along with Typica, it is considered one of the most primitive coffee varieties still in existence. Its cherries turn a bright red when ripe, which is the image many people have of "Red Bourbon." Bourbon grown at high altitudes often exhibits elegant aromas, bright acidity, and sometimes even a hint of wine-like complexity.
Over the centuries, this variety gradually spread from the Indian Ocean region to Brazil, Central and South America, and even various parts of Africa. Under different climatic and soil conditions, it gave rise to numerous mutations, including Yellow Bourbon, Pink Bourbon, Slender Bourbon, and Pacas. Each variant has its own unique historical background, cultivation challenges, and flavor profiles, making them worthy of deeper exploration by coffee enthusiasts.
Bourbon is essentially a branch under the Arabica species. The most common is the Red Bourbon, which produces red-colored fruits, but there are also variants that bear yellow or orange fruits, such as Yellow Bourbon and Orange Bourbon. Yellow Bourbon generally has lower yields, but its flavor profile is often more refined, particularly excelling in suitable high-altitude environments.
Bourbon seeds were first introduced to Brazil in 1727, but due to the low yield and disease susceptibility of the Typica variety brought in at the time, it wasn’t until around 1860 that Bourbon was officially introduced to Brazil from the southern region of Campinas. It then rapidly spread to surrounding areas in South and Central America. Although in many regions today, Bourbon has gradually been replaced by varieties such as Caturra, Catuai, or Mundo Novo, traces of Bourbon can still be found in countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Peru.
In Africa, the spread of Bourbon is closely tied to the missionaries of the Holy Ghost Fathers (French Spiritans). Starting in 1841 with the establishment of the first church on Réunion Island, branches were subsequently set up in Zanzibar in 1859, followed by Bagamoyo (now in Tanzania) in 1862 and St. Augustine in Kenya. In 1893, it expanded further to the Taita Hills in Kenya. Each new church mission planted coffee seeds brought from Réunion, laying the foundation for Bourbon’s presence in Africa.
Among these, the seedlings cultivated at the Bura mission in 1899 were later sent to the St. Cruz mission near Nairobi, and in 1900, they were further introduced to the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania and distributed to local residents for cultivation. This is the origin of what later came to be known as "Missionary Bourbon." Subsequently, the Kent variety was also introduced in 1920, making Bourbon and Kent the main cultivated varieties in Tanzania to this day.
In the process of variety evolution, natural mutations, selective breeding, and crossbreeding have together given rise to diverse Bourbon variants, such as Caturra, Catuai, Pacas, Yellow Bourbon, Slender Bourbon, SL28, and SL34. These variants have adapted to different environments while also exhibiting distinctly different flavors and cultivation characteristics.
Yellow Bourbon is the product of a cross between Bourbon and other varieties (possibly including a yellow-fruited Typica variant known as 'Amerelo de Botocatu'). Due to its low yield and environmental sensitivity, it has long not been widely cultivated. However, in high-altitude regions, Yellow Bourbon can demonstrate exceptional flavor potential, and in recent years, it has gradually gained attention in the specialty coffee market. It is said that Yellow Bourbon may have originated in Brazil, where its cherries ripen to a captivating yellow rather than red.
Pink Bourbon is an even rarer variant, with its coffee cherries turning a dreamy pink color upon ripening. This variety was developed through the hybridization of Red Bourbon and Yellow Bourbon, but due to the complex interactions of recessive genes in the pollen, achieving a stable, pure pink color is extremely difficult, and occasionally orange fruits may appear. Currently, there are small-scale plantings in Colombia and Guatemala, with extremely limited production—often not exceeding 650 kilograms per season—making it quite rare.
Slender Bourbon (also known as Bourbon Pointu, Laurina, or Leroy) is an exceptionally unique member of the Bourbon family. First discovered in 1810 on Bourbon Island, its beans are noticeably more elongated and pointed at both ends compared to typical Bourbon, and its caffeine content is only about half that of regular coffee—around 0.6% to 0.8%. This characteristic makes it less likely to affect sleep, and it was highly favored by European royalty and literati in the past, such as King Louis XV of France and the writer Honoré de Balzac.
In the 19th century, Slender Bourbon was widely cultivated on Bourbon Island, with annual production once reaching as high as 4,000 metric tons. However, due to factors such as climate disasters and pests, its cultivation area drastically declined, and by 1942, it was nearly extinct, with only a small amount of seeds eventually brought back to France. It was long believed to have disappeared completely. It wasn’t until recent years, when Colombia began trial plantings again, that this coffee re-entered the market. Due to its extremely low yield and unique historical background, its market price remains very high.
Pacas is a natural mutation of Bourbon, first discovered in 1949 in the Santa Ana region of El Salvador. It was observed by the local Pacas family on their Finca San Rafael estate, where some plants exhibited distinct morphological differences from typical Bourbon. After years of selection and research, this new variety was eventually established. The most notable feature of Pacas is its shorter internode spacing and larger fruiting area, which facilitates higher planting density and yield per unit area, making it a popular choice among many Central and South American coffee farms.
In summary, Bourbon and its variants not only carry a rich history of coffee but also showcase the diverse evolution of coffee varieties under both natural and human selection. Whether pursuing flavor complexity, cultivation challenges, or cultural exploration, understanding the Bourbon family can provide valuable insights and inspiration for both coffee enthusiasts and industry professionals.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
