The Cultivation History and Flavor of Réunion Island/Bourbon Island's Legendary Low-Caffeine Laurina Variety

The Legend of Réunion Island/Bourbon Island: The Cultivation History and Flavor of the Low-Caffeine Bourbon Pointu

More than a decade ago, two legendary coffee varieties emerged and shook the entire coffee world: Geisha and Bourbon Pointu. Before we tell the smaller story of Bourbon Pointu, let's lay out the carpet for the sensation it would cause.

The Origins and Migration of Coffee

In early times, coffee was an exclusive commodity of Arabia. To protect that exclusivity, the Arabs never allowed seeds capable of germination to leave their homeland. By the 17th century, however, seeds were finally smuggled out beyond Ethiopia and Yemen, spreading across the New World and multiplying into countless descendants. These smuggled seeds carried the two varieties we know as Bourbon and Typica.

Bourbon Pointu: The Rare and Elegant Mutation

Bourbon Pointu is a natural mutation of Bourbon coffee that occurred on Bourbon Island, now known as Réunion Island. It takes its name from its slender, pointed shape at both ends, whereas the original Bourbon has shorter beans with a slightly elliptical outline. The biggest difference between them lies not only in appearance but in flavor and caffeine content. Put concisely, Bourbon Pointu is naturally extremely low in caffeine, rare in yield, and carries a delicate, charming, elegant aroma — and it is one of the oldest tree species in the world.

Historical Significance and Rediscovery

Bourbon Pointu was favored by many celebrities as early as the 18th century, including King Louis XV of France and the French writer Balzac. Because of its weak constitution, susceptibility to disease, and low flowering and fruiting, however, farmers found it unrewarding and gradually abandoned it, until it dwindled to near extinction. It was not until 1999-2007, through efforts by France and Japan, that it was successfully revived, becoming today's most expensive coffee. Bourbon Pointu beans, with their unique flavor and rare yield, are loved by European royalty and nobility. They have bright fruit and floral aromas, combining citrus and cream fragrances with a velvety texture, yet their caffeine content is only half that of regular Arabica. Louis XV of the Bourbon dynasty called it "the best coffee in the world," pushing the fame of Bourbon Pointu to its peak.

Bourbon coffee got its name because the first place it was widely cultivated in the New World was called Bourbon Island, which is today's Réunion Island; the legendary protagonist of this article, Bourbon Pointu, is a natural mutation of Bourbon coffee on that island.

Characteristics and Names

Bourbon Pointu has two other names, Laurina and Leroy, but neither is as well known as Bourbon Pointu. It is called Pointu because the beans are slender and pointed at both ends, while the original Bourbon — sometimes called Round Bourbon — has shorter beans with a slightly elliptical outline. The visual difference between Bourbon Pointu and original Bourbon can be told at a glance; the biggest difference, though, lies not in appearance but in flavor and caffeine content. Described simply, Bourbon Pointu means "good flavor, low caffeine."

Caffeine Content Analysis

We'll get to the flavor of Bourbon Pointu last. First, its caffeine content. By common statistics, general coffee runs 0.9-1.2% caffeine for Arabica and 1.6-2.4% for Robusta, while Bourbon Pointu is only 0.6% — far lower than regular Arabica and well below Robusta. It hasn't reached the standard for American decaffeinated coffee, but it is already good news for the many people who can't handle much caffeine yet still love coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee's Bourbon Pointu

FrontStreet Coffee Bourbon Pointu - Flavor: Bourbon Pointu beans have bright fruit and floral aromas, combining citrus and cream fragrances with a velvety texture.

Historical Challenges and Decline

Because of its good flavor and low caffeine content — it barely affects sleep — Bourbon Pointu was loved by people as early as the 18th century. Many celebrities, such as King Louis XV of France and the novelist Balzac, were its fans. Over the two hundred years from the 18th to the 19th century, Bourbon Pointu was widely cultivated on Bourbon Island, reaching a peak of 4,000 metric tons annually in 1800. Then a series of disasters followed: hurricanes, fire ants, leaf rust disease, and more, and cultivation gradually declined. Finally, in 1942, the last batch shipped back to France was a pitiful 200 kilograms. After that, Bourbon Pointu disappeared without a trace, and even official documents no longer mentioned it. After the 1950s, no one grew coffee on Réunion Island anymore, and the island's agriculture turned completely to other crops such as sugarcane. Coffee and Réunion Island no longer had any connection, and Bourbon Pointu was officially recognized by the coffee world as extinct.

V60 Pour-Over Method

V60 Pour-Over

Filter cup: Hario V60

Water temperature: 90°C

Grind size: Fuji grinder setting 3.5

Brewing method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:15, 15g of coffee. First pour 25g of water for a 25-second bloom. Second pour up to 120g, then stop. Wait until the water level in the coffee bed drops to half before continuing. Slowly pour until reaching 225g total. Extraction time around 2:00.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If the idea of a rare, elegant, low-yield variety appeals to you, Gesha is the closest modern parallel. FrontStreet Grana Estate Gesha comes from a site at the border of Ethiopia's Kochere and Grana Abaya areas, naturally processed on raised beds with drying that runs 14-20 days depending on the weather, then roasted medium-light. Expect bright citrus acidity, elegant ginger-flower aroma, ripe-fruit sweetness and a delicate, signature Gesha finish. For the top of the range, FrontStreet Emerald Estate Red Label Gesha shows the citrus-and-honey sweetness and floral intensity that made the variety famous. Brew Gesha at 91°C with 15g, a 1:16 ratio, a grind around fine sugar (screen #20, 78% pass rate), and a three-stage pour finishing near 2:10-2:20.