Introduction to the Historical Origins of Yemeni Coffee Variety Udaini - Yemeni Coffee Was Originally Iron Skin

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The Aromatic Legacy of Yemeni Coffee: From 16th Century Ports to Global Recognition

Yemen's aromatic coffee captivated the world in the 16th century, and in 2017, Mokhtar Alkhanshali, founder of the Port of Mocha project, once again positioned Yemeni coffee among the world's finest. Coffee is an indispensable cultural symbol of this nation, and Mocha seems to have become synonymous with Yemeni coffee.

The Origin of the Mocha Name: Fame Through Its Port

Actually, the naming of Yemeni coffee as Mocha primarily stems from Yemen's port called "Mocha." Since Yemen was the first country to commercialize coffee cultivation, and Yemeni coffee was exported to the world through the port of Al-Mokha, people gradually began to collectively refer to coffee from various regions of Yemen as "Mocha." However, this collective term is not actually the true variety name of Yemeni coffee.

For a long time, Yemeni coffee was actually named by production region. For example, Mattari (from Yemen's Bani Mattar region) and Ismaeli (from Haraaz region) still occasionally appear in markets, but today many other place names have gradually been forgotten.

Mokhtar, founder of the Port of Mocha project, in Haraaz, Yemen.

Udaini: The Main Variety of Yemeni Coffee

It is precisely this collective naming approach or place-based naming that has obscured the actual coffee varieties behind them. In 1993, scholar Ali conducted a research and classification report on Yemeni coffee. In this report, he collected and researched Yemen's coffee varieties. Currently, there are four main existing coffee varieties in Yemen: Udaini, Dawairi, Tufahi, and Burra'i (specific variety characteristics are shown in the table below).

Compiled from the "Promoting Yemeni Coffee Development" report (2005).

Even in later research, some scholars proposed that Yemeni coffee varieties might include a fifth or sixth type. However, in numerous subsequent studies, scholars have basically identified Udaini as the most common and ancient variety in Yemen. This suggests that the coffee seeds spread from Yemen to various parts of the world were most likely of the Udaini variety.

Yemeni Udaini coffee trees.

As shown in the image above, the location is near the small town of IBB, Yemen, 172 kilometers from the port of Mocha, which is also the hometown of Mokhtar, founder of the Port of Mocha project.

Based on the above data, it can be inferred that the reason most local farmers choose to plant Udaini is closely related to its relatively concentrated harvest period. Biennial or year-round harvesting is relatively unfavorable for commercial operations.

Udaini: An Ancient Typica Variety

If the main Yemeni coffee variety is Udaini, to which category do these four major varieties belong? In Arabica genetic research, scholars successfully identified the category to which Yemeni coffee belongs by comparing the genes of Yemen's four major varieties with those from diverse African native varieties (Anthony, F., Combes, M., Astorga, C. et al. Theor Appl Genet, 2002). In fact, Yemen's main coffee varieties originate from ancient Typica varieties.

Coffee variety family tree.

Multiple sources indicate that the term "Yemen Mocha" is merely a long-standing collective term. The actual varieties of Yemeni coffee are four major varieties including Udaini.

*The above information comes from various research reports and scientific papers. There is limited traceable information about ancient coffee varieties. This article is for reference only. Friends who love Yemeni coffee are welcome to discuss together.

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