by varietal

bourbon coffees

bourbon is one of the oldest arabica varieties still being grown and drunk at scale, and it shows up everywhere from colombian hillsides to rwandan volcanoes. 141 coffees across our index right now, from 103 different roasters. that breadth alone tells you something.

quick profile· from our live index

coffees listed: 764
roasters: 379
common flavour: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, stone fruit, honey
common regions: huila, nyamasheke, kayanza, gakenke
price range: £0.04 – £170

what is bourbon coffee?

bourbon is a natural mutation of typica that developed on the island of reunion, formerly called bourbon, and spread through latin america and east africa over the following century. it's a foundational arabica variety, lower-yielding than modern hybrids but consistently expressive, and it's the genetic parent of a huge number of varieties you already know and drink.

what does bourbon coffee taste like?

bourbon tends to land on milk chocolate and dark chocolate first, with stone fruit sitting underneath, cherries and plums mostly. grapefruit shows up in higher-grown lots, and a lot of bourbons carry a black tea or general tea-like quality in the finish that keeps things clean rather than heavy. it's rarely shrill. more often it's settled and warm.

why does bourbon coffee matter?

bourbon matters because so much of what specialty coffee became was built on this variety. it's not trendy the way gesha is, but roasters keep coming back to it because it's consistent and honest. at 103 roasters carrying it in our index right now, it's one of the most widely represented varieties we track, and that's not an accident.

what should you look for in bourbon coffee?

huila and cajamarca in south america, kayanza in burundi, nyamasheke in rwanda, cerrado in brazil, chikmagalur in india. those are the regions showing up most in our current index. red bourbon specifically tends to outperform yellow or orange in clarity. natural and washed lots both work, but washed versions usually show that tea-like finish more cleanly.

bourbon coffees

quick profile· from our live index

what is bourbon coffee?

what does bourbon coffee taste like?

why does bourbon coffee matter?

what should you look for in bourbon coffee?

Bolivia Waliki Bourbon Natural

Fazenda Chapadão - Brazil (3rd Place Cup of Excellence Natural Category)

[ODD B] Fazenda Chapadão - Brazil (3rd Place Cup of Excellence Natural Category)

DON VALLEJITO, ECUADOR - SUODATINKAHVI

LOS CHORROS, BOURBON AJI, COLOMBIA - SUODATINKAHVI

Café Campos Roa Bourbon Rosado Semi Lavado 350 GR

Café Amparo Castro 350 GR

Wilton Benítez - Bourbon Amarillo - 350 gr

Rwanda - Kageyo, Bourbon

Colombia - Aroma Nativo Bourbon Aji Hydro Honey Lot 396

Diamond Rush Nitro Cold Brew

Rwanda Urugori

Rwanda Urugori

Rwanda Kamajumba

Kaleidoscope 3.1 - Strawberry Vanilla Sky

Kaleidoscope 4.2 - Acapulco Dreams

Iloma PB

La Margarita

RWANDA - Bumbogo

427 Guatemala Villaure Las Lomas

420 Rwanda Simbi Washed

428 Peru Regional Puno

429 Burundi Kajabure Washed

Guatemala, Antigua - Espresso

Guatemala, Antigua - Filter

Guatemala, Pastoral, 200 g

El Salvador, Miramar, 200 g

Munyinya Washed Bourbon from Bukeye Washing Station, Gitega, Burundi

Burundi - Giku Hill Natural [Auction Lot]

Gasharu – Red Bourbon

Shyira

Shyira, Rwanda - Espresso

Gaharo Heirloom Bourbon • Washed

Gaharo Heirloom Bourbon • Washed

Gaharo Heirloom Bourbon • Washed (EU TEST)

Rwanda Busanze Natural

Burundi Heza Hill PB Honey

Rwanda Fugi Ikizere Washed(2026)

Rwanda Fugi Kiyonza Washed

Rwanda Shyria Wholesale

Rwanda Huye Mountain Wholesale

Colombia | Juan Martin | Striped Red Bourbon | Washed

Colombia | La Laja | Sudan Rume | Washed

Papua New Guinea | Baroida Estate | Arusha & Bourbon | Natural

Brazil | Rancho Sao Benedito | Yellow Bourbon | Pulped Natural

Brazil | Baixadao | Yellow Bourbon | Natural

Night Owl

Rwanda Gasharu 250g

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