Five kinds of name that answer different questions
Read a label from broadest to most specific. Species is a botanical category; a cultivar or variety identifies a cultivated selection or genetic lineage. Origin is a location, process describes post-harvest handling, and a trade name may describe a grade or a seller's product.
On “Ethiopia · Arabica · washed · heirloom,” Ethiopia is the country, Arabica the species, washed the process, and heirloom an imprecise collective description. Heirloom alone is not a verified single cultivar. Ask whether the roaster knows a local landrace or a research selection.
Evidence: World Coffee Research varieties catalog · WCR: history of Arabica
Arabica, canephora and less familiar species
Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora are the two familiar commercial species. Robusta is the common trade term for canephora coffee; its diversity is wider than one generic bean. Neither “100% Arabica” nor a Robusta percentage is a complete quality assessment. Sorting, handling and the actual cup matter.
Arabica originated through a natural cross involving C. canephora and C. eugenioides. The two major cultivated Arabica families, Typica and Bourbon, represent only part of the species' diversity. That history helps explain why Ethiopian diversity cannot be reduced to one named Western cultivar.
Liberica and excelsa appear on some bags. Kew's recent work treats excelsa as Coffea dewevrei, distinct from Coffea liberica; older trade descriptions may still call it a liberica variety. Ask the supplier which identification they mean. Do not use these names to infer caffeine concentration, farming resilience in a particular place or a guaranteed taste.
Evidence: WCR: history of Arabica · WCR: history of Robusta · Kew: excelsa and liberica research
Common Arabica names, with a useful distinction for each
These notes describe identity and lineage. WCR's quality-potential and disease-resistance entries are agronomic context, not a score for your roasted bag. Resistance can also differ by disease and environment.
| Name | What distinguishes it | How to use that information |
|---|---|---|
| Typica | A foundational Arabica lineage with many descendants; distinct from a country or roast. | Compare a named producer's lot with another cultivar while holding process and roast as close as possible. |
| Bourbon | Another foundational lineage, historically spread through the island now called Réunion. | A red or yellow fruit designation is not the roast color; ask whether the bag is a single variety. |
| Caturra | A compact natural mutation of Bourbon, identified in Brazil and widely adopted in Central America. | Its small plant size is an agricultural trait; it does not make the beverage inherently weaker. |
| Catuai | A Brazilian cross of Mundo Novo and Caturra, combining their lineages in a compact plant. | Do not confuse Catuai and Caturra; record the exact name when comparing lots. |
| SL28 | Selected in Kenya in the 1930s, with a Bourbon-like genetic background and drought tolerance. | The name can appear outside Kenya. Country and cultivar are separate fields. |
| SL34 | A different Scott Laboratories selection, with a Typica-like genetic background. | A bag listing both SL28 and SL34 is a mixed-variety lot unless the seller says otherwise. |
| Gesha / Geisha | The famous Panama-associated type has an Ethiopian origin; similar names have been used for genetically different material. | Ask about provenance instead of assuming the spelling or high price verifies the plant. |
| Catimor / Sarchimor / F1 hybrid | These can identify families or different crosses rather than one uniform cultivar. | Ask for the exact selection; a hybrid is not automatically poor quality, genetically modified, or universally disease-proof. |
Evidence: WCR cultivar profile: typica · WCR cultivar profile: bourbon · WCR cultivar profile: caturra · WCR cultivar profile: catuai · WCR cultivar profile: sl28 · WCR cultivar profile: sl34 · WCR cultivar profile: gesha · World Coffee Research varieties catalog
Why Gesha needs an extra question
WCR distinguishes the Panama-associated Gesha lineage from other material sold with the same or similar name. Gesha and Geisha are both used in the trade; spelling does not establish authenticity.
For an expensive bag, ask for farm, lot, producer, variety provenance, process and roast intent. Buy a small amount first if the flavor description appeals to you. A famous cultivar is a reason to investigate, not a reason to abandon your preferences.
Evidence: WCR cultivar profile: gesha
Make the plant name useful in your next purchase
Choose a roaster selling two lots from the same farm with similar processing and roast intent but different varieties. Keep dose, water and method fixed for the first comparison; record both taste and liking. If one needs a different grind, note that the second comparison is an optimized-cup comparison.
If you cannot find a matched pair, compare what is available and record the confounders. A Kenyan SL28 and a natural Brazilian Catuai differ in many ways; their cups cannot prove a universal cultivar effect. Use your notes to ask a better buying question next time.
- Save the complete label rather than only the cultivar.
- Look up an exact WCR entry for technical lineage.
- Treat missing variety information as unknown, not proof of low quality.
Follow the exact variety name
Use the browsable variety reference for lineage, agronomic trade-offs and specific buying questions. It distinguishes Pacas from Pacamara, the Gesha T2722 provenance question, SL28 from SL34 and resistance-oriented cultivars from guaranteed cup predictions.
Sources & limitations
This guide combines source-based explanations and practical starting points. Coffee Jacob has not performed hands-on product testing or controlled tasting trials for this guide. Source check: 13 October 2026.
- World Coffee Research varieties catalog
- WCR: history of Arabica
- WCR: history of Robusta
- Kew: excelsa and liberica research
- WCR cultivar profile: typica
- WCR cultivar profile: bourbon
- WCR cultivar profile: caturra
- WCR cultivar profile: catuai
- WCR cultivar profile: sl28
- WCR cultivar profile: sl34
- WCR cultivar profile: gesha