Coffee Basics: Varieties

The one that started it all. The OG. First cultivated in Ethiopia and spread around the world by the Dutch. It tends to produce a relativley small yield and is susceptible to pests and disease, but what it lacks in yield it makes up for in flavour. Typica is known for producing a clean, sweet, and complex cup. It’s still grown all over the coffee belt and, despite its challenges, it’s loved for the quality it brings to the cup and the high prices it can secure.

A natural mutation of Typica that first popped up on the island of Réunion (then called Bourbon), an island off Madagascar, and it’s become one of the most loved coffee varieties out there. It grows well at high altitudes, has a higher yield than Typica, and is especially prized for its distinctive sweetness and well-rounded flavour. You’ll spot different variations of Bourbon such as red, yellow, and sometimes orange Bourbon, and while it’s not as high-yielding as some modern hybrids, the cup quality more than makes up for it. It’s still grown in many parts of the world and remains a go-to for those looking to produce something truly special.

A natural hybrid of Typica and Bourbon, first discovered in Brazil back in the 1940s. It’s a strong, high-yielding variety that handles disease and rough conditions better than its parents, which is why it's still widely grown today. It performs especially well at altitudes of 1,000–1,200 metres, making it a perfect fit for much of Brazil’s coffee-growing landscape.

This is a mutation of Bourbon, discovered in Brazil in the 1930s. Often called a dwarf or semi-dwarf, it’s a low growing variety that makes it much easier to pick by hand. Caturra thrives at higher altitudes, making this especially popular in Colombia and Central America. There are both red and yellow variations and it’s yeilds are relatively high with good cup quality although as the quality increases with altitude the yield decreases.

This is a hybrid between Caturra and Mundo Novo developed by the Instituto Agronomico in Brazil in the 1950s and 1960s. It takes the best of both its parent varieties with the dwarf characteristics of Caturra and the yield and strength of Mundo Novo. Like Caturra, there are red and yellow varieties.

Maragogype (pronounced “mara-go-jeep”) is a natural mutation of Typica, first discovered in Brazil and it’s hard to miss. It’s a very desirable variety due to its unusually large bean size, nicknamed ‘Elephant’ or ‘Elephant Bean’, it’s one of the easiest varieties to recognise. The trees themselves are big too, with large leaves and fruit, but despite their size, they tend to produce a relatively low yield.

SL-28 is a legendary variety that originated in Kenya in the 1930s, and it’s one of the most celebrated coffees in the speciality world. Developed by Scott Agricultural Laboratories (now the National Agricultural Laboratories, NARL situated at Kabete), it was selected for its resistance to drought and potential to thrive at high altitudes although it’s susceptible to the major diseases of coffee like leaf rust. It produces large, red cherries and is known for its distinctively fruity, citrusy cup profile—often with bold blackcurrant or berry-like flavours that make it a standout on the cupping table.

SL-34 is another standout from Kenya’s coffee breeding program, developed in the 1930s by Scott Agricultural Laboratories. Selected from French Mission Bourbon, brought back to Africa from Réunion, SL-34 is genetically related to Typica and performs best at high altitudes with plenty of rainfall. It’s known for its high yield and excellent cup potential, with distinct fruity flavours though it’s generally considered inferior to SL-28. Similar to SL-28 it’s also susceptible to major coffee diseases.

Gesha, or sometimes referred to as Geisha, theres a bit of a debate over the correct name, is a heirloom variety thought to be originally from Ethiopia, brought to Panama from Costa Rica and was made famous after a Panamanian farm, Hacienda La Esmeralda, shocked the coffee world in 2004 earning a record-breaking auction price of $21/lb then $130/lb in 2006 and 2007 almost 100x more than a commodity grade coffee. Despite its low yield, delicate branches, and pest susceptibility, Gesha thrives at high altitudes and produces truly exceptional results when grown well. With notes of jasmine, and stone fruit, it remains one of the most sought-after and prestigious varieties in specialty coffee.

Pacas is a natural mutation of Bourbon, discovered in 1949 by the Pacas family in El Salvador’s Santa Ana region. Similar to Caturra, it carries a dwarf mutation, making the plant smaller and picking easier while allowing for denser planting and higher yields. Pacas has been widely adopted in El Salvador accounting for about 25% of the country’s coffee production. With cup quality similar to Bourbon and compact growth, it’s a favourite among producers looking to balance quality and productivity.

Pacamara is a hybrid of two very different parents: the compact, high-yielding Pacas and the large-beaned Maragogype. Developed in El Salvador in 1958 by the Salvadoran Institute for Coffee Research (ISIC), it was bred to combine the big bean size and cup complexity of Maragogype with the manageable growth and productivity of Pacas. The result is a bold, often unpredictable variety that can, when done right, produce exceptionally rich, complex coffees, it frequently dominates Cup of Excellence competitions for high cup quality.