Varieties
A rough map of coffee varieties encountered in the notebook, organized by lineage. Updated as new varieties appear.
Note on Gesha/Geisha: the Ethiopian spelling is "Gesha", the Panamanian convention is "Geisha". Individual coffee entries follow the roaster's spelling; both refer to the same variety.
Bourbon Group
Bourbon is one of the oldest arabica cultivars, originating from Yemen via Réunion island. Most Latin American specialty coffee traces its lineage here.
Bourbon
Foundational variety — sweet, balanced, lower yield than modern hybrids. Widely grown in Colombia, Rwanda, El Salvador. Color mutations (Yellow, Pink) are generally associated with fruitier cups and high-altitude Colombia.
- Yellow Bourbon — Cypher, Ecuador Candee Drip
- Pink Bourbon — Square Mile, Colombia Luis Herney Velasco
Caturra
Natural dwarf mutation of Bourbon; compact plant, good yield. The workhorse of Colombian specialty coffee.
- Glitch, Colombia Risaralda Milan Nitro Washed
- Glitch, Colombia Risaralda Milan NG (blended with Castillo)
- Prodigal, Panama Hachi Tansu
Catuai
Hybrid of Caturra × Mundo Novo. High yield, widely planted in Brazil and Central America.
- Subko, India Ratnagiri Project Pearl
Castillo
Colombian hybrid developed by Cenicafé (Caturra lineage with Timor hybrid ancestry for CBD resistance). Controversial in specialty — some roasters avoid the Robusta introgression, others are indifferent.
- Glitch, Colombia Risaralda Milan NG (blended with Caturra)
Ethiopian Originals
Ethiopia is the genetic origin of arabica. Its varieties predate organized breeding programs by centuries.
Heirloom / Landraces
Catch-all term for indigenous Ethiopian varieties, typically used when the specific cultivar is unknown or the lot aggregates cherry from many smallholders. Fuzzy but common.
- Glitch, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Gargari Gutity Opal
- Cypher, Ethiopia Guji Mesele
Gesha / Geisha
Originally from the Gesha forest in southwest Ethiopia; brought to Panama via CATIE's breeding program in the 1960s. Now one of the most prized varieties in specialty coffee — distinctive jasmine, stone fruit, tea-like character. High-altitude, low-yield.
Represented across four origins: - Panama — Glitch, Boquete Lerida; Glitch, Boquete Don Pachi - Ethiopia — Substance, Gesha Village Lot 44; Substance, Gesha Village Lot 35 - Bolivia — Cypher, Las Fresas - Colombia — Prodigal, Llano Redondo
Wush Wush
Ethiopian landrace now grown in Colombia (particularly Cauca). Rare; tends toward very floral, delicate cups.
- Glitch, Colombia Quindío El Placer
Ají / Ají Bourbon
Extremely rare Colombian varieties. "Ají" means chili — named for a spicy aromatic quality. Associated with El Diviso farm in Huila.
- Glitch, Colombia Huila El Diviso Ají
- Naivo, Colombia El Diviso Ají Bourbon
Ombligon
Rare Colombian variety from El Diviso. Named for a distinctive navel-like indent on the bean.
- Glitch, Colombia Huila El Diviso Ombligon
JARC Selections (74xxx)
Varieties developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center, catalogued in 1974. Selected from indigenous Ethiopian forest trees for Coffee Berry Disease resistance and yield. The "74" prefix marks the catalogue year, not the generation.
74165 — Sidama region. High-altitude (2,100m+), hard dense beans, slower drawdown than typical. More traditional Ethiopian character (grape, red wine, chocolate) rather than bright fruity naturals. Grown at Alo Coffee farm and similar Sidama estates.
- Glitch, Ethiopia Sidama Tamiru Alo Berry "Under Screen"
Indian Selections
India has independent breeding programs, partly drawing on imported East African material. The "SL" naming overlaps confusingly with the Kenyan SL series — they are different programs.
SL795
Developed at the government research station in Balehonnur (Selection 795). Descends from Kent, an old Indian variety of possibly Ethiopian origin. Known for good cup quality; disease susceptible.
- Caarabi, India Baarbara Washed AA
- Blue Tokai, India Baarbara Estate Intenso Yeast Fermented Natural
- Blue Tokai, India Baarbara Estate CIMA Yeast Fermented Natural
- Quick Brown Fox, India Salawara Estate CM Intenso Naturals
- Greysoul, India Zoya Estate "Raspberry in Loop" (blended with Chandragiri)
SL9
Another Indian Selection from the same program; distinct from SL795 despite the similar name.
- Greysoul, India Ratnagiri MOGRA
- Greysoul, India Ratnagiri Yellow Lot
SLN.9 / SLN.5B / SLN.5
SLN = selections from the Central Coffee Research Institute (CCRI), Balehonnur. A different breeding program from SL795/SL9. Bred for CBD resistance; planted widely in Karnataka estates.
- Corridor Seven, India Riverdale N72
- Blue Tokai, India Riverdale N72
Chandragiri
Released by CCRI in 2011. A high-yield, disease-resistant hybrid. Common in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Cup quality considered dependable but not exceptional.
- Blue Tokai, India Kuttinkhan
- Blue Tokai, India Unakki
- Greysoul, India Zoya Estate "Raspberry in Loop" (blended with SL795)
Hybrids & Others
Catimor
Cross between Timor hybrid (which carries Robusta genetics) and Caturra. Bred for CBD resistance; widely planted in Asia and Central America. Cup quality variable.
- Glitch, China Dehong Yuan Yi Yuan — Catimor P4 (7963), a specific Catimor selection
Gayo
Associated with the Gayo highlands of Aceh, Indonesia; often Timor hybrid-derived material. Unusual to see this designation applied to a Thai coffee.
- Cypher, Thailand Doi Tung