FrontStreet Coffee - Catimor Variety Introduction

Yunnan Coffee Varieties

Coffee in Yunnan is cultivated mainly around two classic, high-quality varieties: Typica and Bourbon.

In 1991, the Catimor series was introduced from Kenya, prized for its stronger disease resistance and higher yields. It belongs to the Arabica species (also known as small-grain coffee). Because the two groups look alike and behave similarly, they are often grown side by side in mixed plantings.

The botanical name of small-grain coffee is Arabica — a species with more than 100 varieties, of which Typica and Bourbon are recognized worldwide as the very best. What people in Baoshan usually call the "old varieties" are in fact Typica and Bourbon.

What is planted most widely here, though, is Catimor — an artificially selected Arabica variety carrying 1/4 Robusta heritage, bred primarily for resistance to leaf rust. The reason Yunnan embraced Catimor instead of keeping to old varieties like Typica and Bourbon is simple: the old types struggled to survive, suffered heavy pest and disease pressure, and yielded far less. Yet because many Chinese coffee learners picked up an introductory book that claimed Catimor has a "devil's aftertaste" — an unpleasant finish — the idea spread that Catimor must taste bad.

Yunnan Coffee Processing Methods

In Yunnan, the main processing method is washed, though the natural process is also used.

Washed processing allows much tighter control over fermentation. Flavor-wise, washed lots — unlike naturals, which can carry off-notes — present distinct fruit acidity, slightly greater complexity, and a cleaner cup.

Knowledge Point: As early as 1892, a French missionary brought coffee seeds to Yunnan and successfully planted the first coffee tree in a place called Zhukula.

In brief: FrontStreet Coffee is a specialty coffee research house that loves sharing what it knows. Our open-handed sharing exists purely to help more people fall in love with coffee. We also run three discounted coffee events each month, because letting more friends enjoy great coffee at the lowest prices has been the FrontStreet Coffee principle for the past 6 years.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

For an entry into Chinese Arabica, the FrontStreet Yunnan Small-Grain from Baoshan is the natural first pick. Washed and roasted medium, it highlights a gentle caramel sweetness while keeping some of its acidity — a faithful snapshot of the region's terroir. Washed processing removes the mucilage layer through fermentation and rinsing before drying, which lets the region's own flavor signature shine through: soft nuts, chocolate sweetness, and a light plum-like tartness.

If you want a clearer picture of what Yunnan can do, step up to the FrontStreet 2013 Yunnan Natural Typica, grown on FrontStreet's own estate planted in 2013. Typica is one of the oldest and purest Arabica varieties, and the natural process — the most traditional of all methods — gives it a heavier body and more pronounced sweet-tart character: dark berry tones, caramel sweetness, chocolate, a hint of dried apricot, and a black-tea finish with a whisper of fermented winey aroma.