Bourbon (variety)

Arabica variety, sister of Typica (two distinct genetic groups, 18.7 % divergence — neither is a mutation of the other), established on Bourbon Island (Réunion) in the 18th century. Known for sweetness and complexity. Forms: Red, Yellow (Brazil), Pink (Rwanda) Bourbon. Lower yield than Caturra.

Background & Context

Bourbon is one of the two founding Arabica varieties — alongside Typica — from which nearly all commercially cultivated specialty coffees descend. Its story begins on the island of Bourbon (now Réunion) in the Indian Ocean, where French missionaries cultivated plants brought from Yemen in the early 18th century. Genetic research by World Coffee Research (2020) established a key finding that overturned decades of assumptions: Bourbon and Typica are not related by parent-offspring — they diverged from a common Yemeni ancestor approximately 18.7% apart in their genetic makeup, making them effectively cousins rather than variants. Bourbon is characterized by a rounded, sweet cup profile — caramel, brown sugar, stone fruit — with moderate acidity and medium body. It is also the genetic parent or ancestor of many important mutation varieties: Caturra (compact plant mutation found in Brazil/Colombia, 1937), Pacas (compact mutation, El Salvador, 1949), SL28 and SL34 (Kenyan selections derived from Bourbon-Typica lineage), and many others. Yellow Bourbon and Red Bourbon are not different varieties but colour mutations — the former produces yellow cherries, the latter red. Bourbon's weakness is its susceptibility to coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix), which has devastated crops in Central America.

Practical Use

When buying a Bourbon-variety coffee, expect sweetness to be the leading attribute — it is typically lower in aggressive acidity than Kenyan SL28 or Ethiopian Sidama varietals. Bourbon excels as a base for espresso blends and as a single-origin filter when sourced from high-altitude lots in El Salvador (where heirloom Red Bourbon is still cultivated) or Rwanda. Brew at 92–94°C with a 1:15 ratio for filter; expect a medium-full body and a caramel-brown sugar finish.

Related Terms

Related terms: Typica — the other founding Arabica variety. Caturra — compact Bourbon mutation. Pacas — another Bourbon mutation from El Salvador. SL28 — Kenyan selection from Bourbon-Typica lineage. Arabica — the species to which Bourbon belongs.