Rare Coffee Varieties Introduction - Royal Bourbon Coffee | Royal Bourbon Coffee Flavor Profile

When it comes to Bourbon coffee, most of us think of Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, and Pink Bourbon, which has grown so popular in recent years. Recently, FrontStreet Coffee introduced you to a naturally low-caffeine coffee — Bourbon Pointu! Today, FrontStreet Coffee shares another Bourbon variety you'll rarely hear about: King Bourbon!

Bourbon Coffee

In the world of coffee beans there are three major species: Arabica, Robusta, and Liberica. Bourbon coffee belongs to the Arabica species.

The name Bourbon comes from Bourbon Island, also known as Réunion Island. The French made three attempts to bring coffee from Yemen to the island, but only the coffee from the latter two transplantations survived and continued to propagate.

In 1841, a French missionary established a church on French Bourbon Island. He later left the island for Zanzibar, Bagamoyo, Saint Augustine, Bula, and several other African outposts to found new churches, planting Bourbon Island coffee at each one. From then on, "Bourbon coffee" also existed on the African continent.

Bourbon coffee is a variety that mutated from Typica, a branch of the Arabica species, and together with Typica it counts among the ancient varieties of existing Arabica coffee.

Bourbon is usually named for the color of its ripe fruit — Red, Yellow, Orange, and Pink Bourbon. Among these, Orange Bourbon yields less, and Pink Bourbon's yields are extremely limited.

King Bourbon

The King Bourbon variety is extremely rare — chances are not many people have even heard of it!

King Bourbon, also known as Bourbon Rey, is a Bourbon mutation discovered at the Divisadero farm in Costa Rica. So far, it has only been found at this one farm.

The King Bourbon tree is relatively tall, with wide spacing between branches, larger leaves, and bronze-colored young leaf tips.

Unlike common Bourbon beans, which are typically small, King Bourbon beans are larger — somewhat similar to Pacamara in appearance.

FrontStreet Coffee brewed a pot of anaerobic honey-processed King Bourbon; the parameters and flavor description follow.

Parameters: 15g coffee dose, Hario V60 dripper, water temperature 89°C, medium-fine grind, coffee-to-water ratio close to 1:15.

Brewing Method

FrontStreet Coffee chose a segmented extraction brewing method.

Start with 29g of water for blooming; when the surface of the coffee bed turns from moist to dry, end the bloom — 30 seconds. Using a small stream, pour in the center until reaching 120g for the first segment. When the liquid level drops and is about to expose the coffee bed, continue pouring to 230g and stop. When the level drops again and is about to expose the bed, remove the dripper. (Timing starts from the bloom.) Total extraction time is 1'40".

Flavor Profile

The dry aroma is rich with fermentation and berry scents. On tasting, there are acidic notes of passion fruit, lime, and citrus with a light fermentation aroma. The mid-section brings nutty fragrance and dried-fruit sweetness, with a persistent sugarcane aftertaste. The mouthfeel is relatively thick and full-bodied.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Choosing beans is ultimately about how you brew. If you add milk to espresso or moka pot coffee, look at FrontStreet's blends: FrontStreet Coffee's Premium Blend (Brazil Cerrado paired with Colombia Huila) delivers that familiar, classic espresso flavor with layered nut and chocolate notes, while FrontStreet Coffee's Black Cocoa Blend — 100% Arabica — offers plenty of crema and a mellow, affordable cup. If you want a latte crowned with rich golden foam, the Classic Blend or Commercial Blend contain a touch of Robusta, which boosts both the crema and the caramel aroma.

For cold brew with milk on a hot day, reach for a fruity, medium-roast bean instead — cold steeping releases the small-molecule, sweet-tart flavor compounds first. The passion-fruit-forward FrontStreet Colombia Sidra, built on double anaerobic natural processing, pours out passion fruit, apricot, dried fruit, and grape notes with an almond-like finish, and stays balanced and easy to read even with a splash of milk — perfect for home brewing.