Coffee variety

Bourbon

A foundational Arabica variety known for relatively low production, disease susceptibility and strong cup-quality potential under suitable conditions.

Genetic contextBourbon-like genetic background

TypeArabica variety / cultivar record

Important reminderVariety influences potential; it does not dictate a single flavour.

Image placeholder: Bourbon coffee plant or cherriesUse a properly licensed botanical or farm image. Prefer a source that identifies the variety.

History

French missionaries introduced Bourbon from Yemen to Bourbon Island, now Réunion, in the early 1700s. It later spread to Africa and the Americas, and numerous Bourbon-descended varieties developed from it.

Why it matters

Bourbon should not be confused with the wider Bourbon genetic group. Modern genetic research distinguishes the original named Bourbon variety from other Bourbon-related varieties.

Variety is only one part of the cup

The final coffee is shaped by genotype together with altitude, temperature, rainfall, soil, shade, plant health, harvesting, post-harvest processing, storage, roasting and brewing. A variety page should therefore be read as a genetic and agricultural reference—not as a promise of a particular tasting profile.

Related guides

Origins

See how geography and growing environment interact with variety.

Coffee origins →

Processing

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All varieties

Return to the Coffee Knowledge variety index.

Variety index →

Editorial source basis: World Coffee Research's Coffee Varieties Catalog. Coffee Knowledge summarises and contextualises the catalog rather than reproducing it.