Varietals & Cultivars
Laurina Coffee
Also known as: Laurina variety, Bourbon Pointu, Laurina Bourbon, low caffeine coffee variety
Laurina is a naturally low-caffeine Arabica variety, a Bourbon mutation first recorded on Réunion Island in the 1700s. Its caffeine runs about half that of typical Arabica, giving a soft, delicate, sweet cup. Nearly lost by the 20th century, it survives through small farms in Brazil and Réunion.
Key Takeaways
- Laurina is a natural Bourbon mutation with about half the caffeine of regular Arabica (roughly 0.6 percent).
- It originated on Réunion Island in the 18th century and is also called Bourbon Pointu.
- The cup is light-bodied, sweet, and delicate, with citrus, floral, and malt notes.
- Low yield and disease susceptibility nearly wiped it out; Brazil's Fazenda Camocim led its revival.
- It remains rare and commands premium prices, mostly sold as single-origin pour-over coffee.
Laurina is a naturally low-caffeine Arabica variety, a Bourbon mutation first recorded on Réunion Island in the 1700s. Its caffeine runs about half that of typical Arabica, giving a soft, delicate, sweet cup. Nearly lost by the 20th century, it survives through small farms in Brazil and Réunion.
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Definition
Laurina is a natural Bourbon mutation of Arabica with roughly half the normal caffeine content, prized for its delicate, sweet cup and grown in very small volumes.
Why It Matters
Laurina is the best-known naturally low-caffeine specialty coffee, and its rarity makes it a benchmark for what low-caffeine flavor can achieve without industrial decaffeination.
What Is Laurina Coffee?
Laurina is a natural mutation of the Bourbon variety of Arabica, first documented on the island of Réunion, then known as Bourbon Island, in the eighteenth century. Its defining trait is caffeine: Laurina beans carry roughly 0.6 percent caffeine by weight, about half the level of a typical Arabica. The mutation disrupts part of the plant's caffeine biosynthesis, and it changes the plant as well as the cup. Laurina grows into a narrow, Christmas-tree-shaped shrub with pointed beans, which is why it is also called Bourbon Pointu.
History and Near-Extinction
Laurina was celebrated in European coffee circles in the 1700s and 1800s, reportedly among the most expensive coffees of its era. Its low yield and fragility made it impractical as plantations expanded, and cyclones and crop decline on Réunion pushed it close to extinction by the twentieth century. The variety survived thanks to a small number of preserved trees and, later, to Brazilian growers who propagated seedlings from Réunion stock. Fazenda Camocim in Espírito Santo, Brazil, is the farm most credited with bringing Laurina back to market in meaningful, though still tiny, volumes.
Flavor Profile
Caffeine is a bitter compound, and its absence shows. Laurina cups are typically light-bodied, clean, and notably sweet, with descriptors that range from citrus and stone fruit to soft florals and a malt-like finish. The low caffeine content also means many drinkers can enjoy it later in the day without the stimulant effect of a standard cup. Because the variety is rare and labor-intensive, Laurina lots usually sell at a significant premium, and they are most often offered as roasted retail bags or single-origin pour-over options rather than espresso blends.
Growing Laurina Today
Laurina is a demanding plant. It has low resistance to coffee leaf rust, tolerates heat poorly, and yields far fewer cherries than commercial varieties, which is precisely why it nearly vanished. Production remains concentrated in Brazil, with smaller lots from Réunion, New Caledonia, and a handful of Central American farms. Buyers should expect small crop sizes and limited harvest windows.
How to Brew It
Treat Laurina like a delicate washed Arabica: a medium grind, water around 94 to 96 degrees Celsius, and gentle pour-over techniques such as a V60 or flat-bottom dripper. Its subtlety rewards careful brewing with a sweet, tea-like cup that shows why the variety commanded such high prices two centuries ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Laurina naturally decaffeinated?
Not fully. Laurina contains about 0.6 percent caffeine, roughly half of a typical Arabica, so it is naturally low-caffeine rather than caffeine-free.
Why is Laurina coffee so expensive?
The variety yields far fewer cherries than commercial varieties, is fragile and disease-prone, and survives only on a small number of farms, which keeps supply tiny and prices high.
What does Laurina taste like?
Expect a light-bodied, clean, sweet cup with citrus, stone fruit, soft florals, and a gentle malt-like finish. Lower caffeine means noticeably less bitterness.
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Editorial Standards & Trust
Keith E. Lyons
Author, Researcher & Coffee Educator
Keith E. Lyons is the author of The Complete World of Coffee and the publisher behind Lyons Den Publishing. A licensed trauma therapist turned specialty coffee writer, Keith blends scientific rigor with genuine passion for the craft of coffee.
Last Reviewed
October 13, 2026
Sources & References
(2)Claims are cited to verifiable sources. Peer-reviewed research is marked.
- 1Specialty Coffee Association variety catalog
- 2Fazenda Camocim Laurina documentation
Authoritative References
Editorial Standards
- • Fact-checked against peer-reviewed coffee science research and industry standards.
- • Reviewed by the author with documented sources for every factual claim.
- • Updated regularly; the "Last Reviewed" date reflects the most recent verification.
- • Corrections are made promptly when new research or evidence emerges.
Our editorial process prioritizes accuracy, scientific rigor, and practical relevance for coffee enthusiasts and professionals alike.
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Laurina Coffee Variety
Laurina is the legendary Bourbon Pointu from Réunion Island—a natural low-caffeine Arabica mutation with delicate peach, chamomile, and sugarcane flavors.
Bourbon Coffee Variety
Bourbon is one of the two foundational arabica varieties, named after Réunion Island (formerly Île Bourbon). It produces higher yields and a sweeter, more complex cup than Typica, with distinctive notes of chocolate, caramel, and red fruit that set the standard for specialty coffee quality.
Coffea Eugenioides Variety
Coffea eugenioides is a rare wild coffee species prized for its naturally low caffeine and delicate, sweet cup. Native to East African highland forests, it produces small yields of intensely floral, citrus-forward coffee that challenges everything you think you know about how coffee should taste.
Typica Coffee Variety
Typica is the foundational arabica variety from which nearly all cultivated coffee descends. Originating in Ethiopia and Yemen, then carried to Java and the Americas, its tall trees and elongated cherries produce a clean, sweet, delicately floral cup that defined specialty coffee's earliest standards.
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Laurina Coffee Variety
Laurina is the legendary Bourbon Pointu from Réunion Island—a natural low-caffeine Arabica mutation with delicate peach, chamomile, and sugarcane flavors.
Bourbon Coffee Variety
Bourbon is one of the two foundational arabica varieties, named after Réunion Island (formerly Île Bourbon). It produces higher yields and a sweeter, more complex cup than Typica, with distinctive notes of chocolate, caramel, and red fruit that set the standard for specialty coffee quality.
Coffea Eugenioides Variety
Coffea eugenioides is a rare wild coffee species prized for its naturally low caffeine and delicate, sweet cup. Native to East African highland forests, it produces small yields of intensely floral, citrus-forward coffee that challenges everything you think you know about how coffee should taste.
Typica Coffee Variety
Typica is the foundational arabica variety from which nearly all cultivated coffee descends. Originating in Ethiopia and Yemen, then carried to Java and the Americas, its tall trees and elongated cherries produce a clean, sweet, delicately floral cup that defined specialty coffee's earliest standards.