When checking through my varietal posts the other night I couldn’t believe I hadn’t done bourbon probably my favorite varietal of all. So here it is, Bourbon

Varietal: Bourbon

Related to: Heirloom

Origin: Bourbon Island

Grows best at: 800meters or above

Type: Heirloom

Prevalent in: All over the coffee growing world

Predominant Colour: Red yellow and orange but mainly red

Fruit size: Normal rounded

Leaf Characteristics: Wide Like and short

Botany: Heirloom

Special Notes:

Originating maybe on the Bourbon island or maybe Ethiopia, this varietal finds its way in to many sub varietals. At risk of pest and disease, and yield wise is decidedly average, but the cup profile tends to be anything but.

There is some evidence that the yellow bourbon gives a higher yield compared to its red and orange derivatives, although red it the most prevalent.

With very close links to SL28 and Typica and Cattura, bourbon because of its low yield in the right environment tends to produce a very high quality cup (there is evidence that the lower the yield the higher the quality as the plant can use its energy more efficiently). I don’t think it is a coincidence that my top three coffees of all time have been from the bourbon varietal.

Typical cup characteristics are low body, balanced, with a typically sweet profile that tends to lend it self well to espresso based coffees.

Links: SL 28, Typica, Cattura

Examples: Brazil Fazenda Cachoeira Bourbon,El Salvador Finca La Fany Bourbon, Rwanda Murambi Bourbon, El Salvador La Ilusion Bourbon