Central America on Coffee & Me

Central America: Six Countries, One Mountain Spine

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:37:00 -0700

Why Central America Is a Great Place to Explore

From Guatemala to Panama, coffee grows along a chain of volcanoes and mountains that runs the length of Central America. The countries share a lot: high farms, rich volcanic soil, mostly Arabica, and a tradition of clean, washed coffee. The classic cup is sweet and balanced, with caramel, chocolate, citrus or stone fruit and a gentle brightness.

That makes Central America a perfect middle ground. It is brighter than most Brazils, softer than most Kenyas, and close enough to the US that it is easy to find fresh. Each country still has its own character, and this guide walks through all six.

Bourbon: The Sweet Coffee From a Small Island

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:35:00 -0700

Not the Whiskey

Bourbon coffee has nothing to do with Kentucky. It is named after Bourbon Island, the old name of La Réunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar. It is one of the two great family lines of Arabica, along with Typica , and many of the varieties you will meet on bags today are its children or grandchildren.

If you like coffee that tastes sweet, round and a little like caramel or red fruit, there is a good chance you like Bourbon.

Caturra: The Little Tree That Changed Latin American Coffee

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:35:00 -0700

The Variety You Have Probably Already Had

If you have bought a bag from Colombia, Costa Rica or Guatemala, you have very likely tasted Caturra, even if the label did not say so. For much of the 20th century it was one of the most planted coffees in Latin America, and it is a parent of many of the varieties that replaced it.

Caturra is not famous for exotic flavors. It is famous for being practical: a short tree that let farmers grow more coffee on the same land. Knowing that helps you read a bag, and understand why “Caturra” often appears next to fancier names.

Gesha (Geisha): Why One Coffee Costs So Much

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:35:00 -0700

The Coffee With the Famous Price Tag

Gesha is the most famous coffee variety in the world, and the most expensive. Its best lots taste more like jasmine tea and peaches than like what most people call coffee, and they sell at auction for prices that make headlines.

You do not need to spend auction money to try it. This guide explains where Gesha came from, why it costs what it does, how to read the label, and how to brew a bag so you get your money’s worth.

Typica: The Coffee Variety Behind Most of the Others

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:35:00 -0700

Why Typica Matters

When a bag names a coffee variety, you are reading something like a grape name on a wine label. Of all the names you will see, Typica is the one most others trace back to. It is one of the two great family lines of Arabica coffee (the other is Bourbon ), and for about two centuries it was the coffee of Latin America.

Today it is rarer, slower to grow and fussier to farm. But a good Typica is a lesson in what clean, sweet coffee tastes like, and knowing its story makes the rest of the variety names on your bags easier to follow.