Arabica
Tekisik
Also known as: Tekisik (Typica)
Tekisik is a high-quality Arabica coffee variety selected from the Bourbon lineage in El Salvador. Developed for its exceptional cup quality and early ripening, it accounts for a significant portion of El Salvador's production. It offers a complex flavor profile with bright acidity and is considered a benchmark for specialty espresso and single-origin offerings.
Key Takeaways
- An elite selection of the Bourbon variety originating from El Salvador.
- Renowned for exceptional cup quality, intense sweetness, and complex acidity.
- Features higher productivity and earlier ripening than unselected Bourbon strains.
- Highly susceptible to major coffee diseases, including leaf rust and coffee berry disease.
Tekisik is a high-quality Arabica coffee variety selected from the Bourbon lineage in El Salvador. Developed for its exceptional cup quality and early ripening, it accounts for a significant portion of El Salvador's production. It offers a complex flavor profile with bright acidity and is considered a benchmark for specialty espresso and single-origin offerings.
Tekisik is a selection of Typica developed in Central America. It is an improved Typica line selected for better productivity while maintaining Typica's characteristic cup quality. Tekisik is grown primarily in Central America and Mexico.
Origin
Developed in Central America. Selection of Typica.
History
Tekisik was developed as a selection of Typica in Central America. It was selected for improved productivity and vigor while maintaining Typica's characteristic cup quality. The name 'Tekisik' comes from Central American coffee research programs. Tekisik has been distributed to coffee-producing countries in Central America and Mexico.
Discovery
Developed in Central America as a Typica selection.
Genetics and Lineage
Tekisik belongs to the Typica genetic group. It is a selection from Typica populations, chosen for improved productivity.
Parent Varieties
Hybrid Status: Not a hybrid. Tekisik is a selection of Typica.
Growth Characteristics
Tekisik is a tall tree with bronze-tipped young leaves, typical of Typica varieties.
Tree Size: Tall (3 to 4 meters at maturity)
Yield: Moderate. Tekisik yields more than unselected Typica but less than modern dwarf varieties.
Disease Resistance: Low. Like Typica, Tekisik is susceptible to coffee leaf rust.
Climate and Growing Conditions
Tekisik thrives in Central American highland conditions at elevations of 800 to 1,400 meters.
Climate Preferences: Tropical highland climate. Optimal temperatures 16 to 26 degrees Celsius.
Rainfall: 1,200 to 1,800mm annually.
Elevation Range: 800-1,400 meters
Processing Compatibility
Tekisik is compatible with all processing methods. Washed processing is traditional in Central America.
Roasting Behavior
Tekisik beans roast evenly. Light to medium roasts best preserve its character.
Cup Profile
Tekisik produces a clean, sweet cup with bright acidity, medium body, and notes of citrus, chocolate, and caramel, characteristic of Typica.
Acidity
Bright and clean.
Sweetness
High.
Body
Medium.
Professional Cupping Notes
Tekisik lots can score 83 to 87 points in SCA cupping.
Common Defects
- •Susceptible to coffee leaf rust
Brewing Recommendations
Tekisik works well as pour over and filtered coffee.
Countries Where Grown
Notable Farms
Interesting Facts
- •Tekisik is an improved selection of Typica, developed in Central America.
- •Tekisik was selected for better productivity while maintaining Typica's cup quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- •World Coffee Research
- •World Coffee Research | Tekisic (https://varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org/varieties/tekisic)
- •Sweet Maria's Coffee Library | The Bourbon and Pacamara Case (https://library.sweetmarias.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Exploring-Distinctive-Characteristics-Virtues-of-Coffee-Varieties-The-Bourbon-Pacamara-Case.pdf)
Related Varieties
Arabica Coffee Varieties: Origin, Flavor & Genetics
Arabica is known for its complex, aromatic, and nuanced flavor. It generally has higher acidity, lighter body, and more aromatic complexity than Robusta. Notes range from floral and citrus (highland African) to chocolate and caramel (Central and South American). Sweetness is generally high, with clean, balanced cups being the hallmark of quality Arabica.
ArabicaBourbon
Sweet, complex, and balanced. Known for a pronounced sweetness, deep fruit notes (berry, stone fruit), and bright but rounded acidity. Body is medium to full with a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Among the most sought-after cup profiles in specialty coffee.
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ArabicaTypica
Clean, sweet, and delicate. Known for floral aromatics, bright citric acidity, and a silky, tea-like body. Typically exhibits notes of citrus, jasmine, honey, and stone fruit. Among the most complex and elegant cup profiles of all Arabica varieties.
Related Encyclopedia Entries
Acidity
In coffee tasting, acidity refers to the bright, vibrant, and often fruity quality that gives coffee its liveliness and structure. Unlike the negative connotation of acidity in everyday language, coffee acidity is a desirable characteristic when balanced. It is perceived as a pleasant tartness or brightness on the palate, similar to the acidity in wine or fruit.
Origins & GeographyCoffea Arabica: The Specialty Coffee Species Explained
Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) is a species of coffee plant native to the highland forests of Ethiopia and South Sudan. It is the most widely cultivated coffee species worldwide, accounting for approximately 60 to 70 percent of global coffee production. Arabica is prized for its complex flavor, refined acidity, and aromatic diversity, producing notes ranging from floral and citrus to chocolate and caramel depending on origin, variety, and processing.
Coffee ScienceCoffee Leaf Rust
Hemileia vastatrix belongs to the order Pucciniales and is an obligate biotrophic fungus, meaning it requires living host tissue to survive. The infection cycle begins when urediniospores are deposited on the abaxial (underside) surface of the coffee leaf, typically via wind or rain splash. Germination occurs only in the presence of free water—such as dew or rainfall—within a temperature range of 15°C to 28°C. Upon germination, the fungus enters the leaf through the stomata and establishes a mycelium that colonizes the internal tissue. The visual manifestation of the disease begins as small, chlorotic spots that expand into characteristic orange, powdery pustules. These pustules contain thousands of spores capable of further infection. The physiological impact includes a rapid reduction in photosynthetic capacity and the eventual abscission of the leaf. Severe cases lead to 'dieback,' where the plant's branches wither due to carbohydrate depletion, often resulting in the death of the tree or a total loss of the following year's crop.
Coffee ScienceExtraction
Extraction is the process of dissolving soluble compounds from ground coffee into water, producing the beverage we know as coffee. During extraction, water pulls acids, sugars, lipids, carbohydrates, and melanoidins from the coffee grounds in a sequence that shapes flavor, body, and aroma.
Related Book Chapters
- •Chapter 4: Varietals & Cultivars
- •Chapter 2: Coffee Origins
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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
August 3, 2026
Sources & References
(3)Claims are cited to verifiable sources. Peer-reviewed research is marked.
- 1World Coffee Research
- 2World Coffee Research | Tekisic (https://varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org/varieties/tekisic)
- 3Sweet Maria's Coffee Library | The Bourbon and Pacamara Case (https://library.sweetmarias.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Exploring-Distinctive-Characteristics-Virtues-of-Coffee-Varieties-The-Bourbon-Pacamara-Case.pdf)
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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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.
Coffea Arabica: The Specialty Coffee Species Explained
Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) is a species of coffee plant native to the highland forests of Ethiopia and South Sudan. It is the most widely cultivated coffee species worldwide, accounting for approximately 60 to 70 percent of global coffee production. Arabica is prized for its complex flavor, refined acidity, and aromatic diversity, producing notes ranging from floral and citrus to chocolate and caramel depending on origin, variety, and processing.
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