From Yemen to an island in the Indian Ocean
In the early 18th century, French traders took coffee from Yemen to Ile Bourbon, the island now called Réunion. There, a distinct type developed that became known as Bourbon. It stayed largely on the island until the mid-1800s, when it was carried to East Africa by French missionaries, where it became known as "French Mission", and to Brazil, from where it spread through Central America.
In the field
Bourbon yields more than Typica and has a more compact, upright shape with broad leaves, though it is still susceptible to leaf rust and other diseases. It performs best at higher altitudes, where slower cherry ripening builds sweetness.
A family of colours
Classic Bourbon has red cherries, but several colour forms are now grown:
- Yellow Bourbon ripens to yellow. In Brazil it is generally thought to have arisen from a natural cross with a yellow-fruited Typica.
- Pink Bourbon ripens to a pink-orange colour and became famous in Huila, Colombia. Despite the name, genetic testing suggests it is closer to Ethiopian landraces than to Bourbon.
- Bourbon Aji, from Colombia, takes its name from its elongated, chilli-shaped cherries. Its exact ancestry is still uncertain.
A parent of famous cultivars
Bourbon's natural mutations and selections include Caturra, Pacas, Villa Sarchi and Laurina, and Kenya's SL28 and SL34 are also Bourbon-related. Much of the world's arabica traces back to it.
In the cup
Good Bourbon is sweet and complete: caramel and red fruit, with a rounded body. High-altitude Bourbons from Rwanda, Burundi, El Salvador and Brazil are classic examples.
