Bourbon

One of coffee's two great heirloom lines, from the island once called Bourbon, known for sweet, balanced, caramel-rich cups.

Bourbon is named for Île Bourbon, today's Réunion, where French colonists planted coffee from Yemen in the early 1700s. From there it reached Brazil and the rest of Latin America in the 1800s. With Typica it is one of the two main lines that most Latin American varieties descend from.

It's prized for sweetness and balance: caramel, brown sugar, chocolate and soft fruit. Its cherries are normally red; yellow and orange forms exist too. Pink Bourbon, despite its name, appears to be a different plant altogether.

From
Réunion (Île Bourbon), from Yemeni coffee
Descendants
Caturra, Pacas, Catuai, Mundo Novo and many more
Known for
Sweetness, caramel and brown sugar, balance
Signature notes
brown sugar, milk chocolate, caramel
Origins
Burundi (71), El Salvador (42), Guatemala (38), Mexico (37), Peru (32), Honduras (29), Rwanda (24), Colombia (18)
Processes
Washed (202), Natural (79), Anaerobic (26), Honey (22), Experimental (19), Co-fermented (5), Inoculated (4), Carbonic maceration (2)
Flavors
Caramel & sugar (160), Berry (112), Chocolate (111), Red fruit (110), Citrus (99), Stone fruit (99), Dried fruit (48), Tropical (46)
Elevation
1500–2000 m (median 1750 m)

On the bag

Red Bourbon
Bourbon with its usual red fruit; we list it as Bourbon.

Roasters that carry it most

In stock

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