What is Laurina or Bourbon Pointu?

Laurina, also known as Bourbon Pointu, is a natural mutation of Red Bourbon characterised by elongated, pointed beans and a naturally very low caffeine content — approximately two to three times lower than standard Arabica. Originally from Réunion Island, it is regarded as one of the rarest and most refined coffees in the world.

Bourbon Pointu appeared as a spontaneous variant of Red Bourbon on Île Bourbon — today Réunion — likely in the 18th or 19th century. Its botanical name, Coffea arabica var. Laurina, comes from the Latin laurinus (laurel-shaped), referring to the distinctive form of its leaves and beans, which are markedly more elongated and pointed than those of standard rounded Bourbon. At its peak in the 19th century, Bourbon Pointu coffee was celebrated in Parisian gastronomic circles as one of the finest coffees in the world. The expansion of sugar cane cultivation, followed by agricultural decline, led to near-extinction: by the late 20th century, only a few dozen trees remained on the island.

A rehabilitation programme launched in the 2000s by the local cooperative, supported by Japanese partners — notably the roasting chain Key Coffee — revived production. Today, a few dozen hectares are cultivated organically in the Hauts de La Réunion, at altitudes between 800 and 1,500 metres. Annual output remains very limited: rarely more than 5 to 10 tonnes of green coffee, making it one of the rarest coffees in the world by volume.

Its most remarkable characteristic is its caffeine content: approximately 0.6 to 0.8 % caffeine, versus 1.2–1.7 % for standard Arabica — two to three times less. This natural caffeine reduction is due to an enzymatic peculiarity inherited from the mutation, not to any artificial processing. In the cup, Bourbon Pointu delivers a profile of exceptional elegance: very little bitterness, great sweetness, fine almost imperceptible acidity, with notes of white tea, nougat, orange blossom and stone fruit. Its aromatic delicacy and digestibility make it a coffee particularly suited to evening drinking, without the usual stimulant effects.

Laurina vs Red Bourbon: comparison

Bourbon Pointu: The Low-Caffeine Rarity That French Coffee History Forgot

Bourbon Pointu — also known as Laurina — is one of the rarest and most historically significant coffee varieties in cultivation, yet it was almost lost to history entirely. A natural mutation of Bourbon with a distinctive pointed cherry shape (hence 'pointu'), it was grown on Réunion island as the dominant commercial variety until the mid-19th century, when devastating disease epidemics and competition from Brazilian production devastated the island's coffee industry. By the early 20th century, Laurina had essentially disappeared from commercial cultivation, surviving only in a handful of research collections. Its rediscovery and rehabilitation in the 1990s was driven by one remarkable characteristic: caffeine content of approximately 0.6%, compared to 1.5% for standard Arabica — less than half the normal level.

The cup profile of Laurina is as remarkable as its caffeine content. In the few commercial lots available — primarily from Réunion itself and a handful of specialty farms in Brazil, Guatemala, and Colombia that have acquired planting material — it tends toward exceptional delicacy and clarity. Floral notes, subtle citrus acidity, and a sweetness that borders on tea-like are the most consistent descriptors in professional cupping notes. The low caffeine content is not just a health consideration; caffeine itself contributes bitterness to the cup, and its reduction allows other flavor compounds to come forward without competition. This produces a cup that some tasters describe as 'what Arabica would taste like without the bitter edge' — a genuinely distinctive experience that has attracted significant interest from the specialty and health-conscious consumer markets.

Practical Recommendations

Sourcing Laurina commercially remains challenging — production is tiny and inconsistently available. The most reliable route is through specialty importers who work directly with Réunion or with the small number of Latin American farms growing it. If you encounter it, treat it like a first encounter with a great Geisha: brew light, use lower water temperature (88 to 90°C to preserve the delicate aromatics), and drink it without additions. The flavor is subtle enough that milk or sugar would effectively erase its most interesting qualities. Note the caffeine effect — or its absence — as part of the sensory experience: for caffeine-sensitive drinkers, Laurina may offer a genuinely revelatory alternative to decaffeination.