Today on store shelves you can often find instant Bourbon coffee in beautiful glass jars. They look very high quality, solid and expensive. Most online stores state in the product description that this is Brazilian coffee.
Let's look at this brand and find out what kind of drink it is, who the manufacturer is, the range, prices and reviews of those who have tried Bourbon coffee. After all, everyone wants to drink our daily invigorating drink of the best quality, the aroma and taste of which brings pleasure.
History of the origin of Bourbon coffee
Ile de la Bourbon is an outdated name for the rainiest island in the world: nowhere else receives as much rainfall as this small territory in the Indian Ocean. It, like the famous whiskey, was named after the House of Bourbon, a French noble family, the most famous of which is Louis XIV, the Sun King. The French made several attempts to cultivate coffee here, and, in the end, their efforts were crowned with some success, so the new variety was named Bourbon - in fact, also in honor of the king.
Today you will not find this island on the map - it was soon renamed Ile de la Reunion, but the names of the types of drinks remained the same.
The taste of Brazilian coffee
The popularity of Brasilia coffee is limitless, but the taste and aroma remain mediocre. It does not represent any sophistication, however, it is perfect for everyday use. Despite the simplicity of taste, Brazilian coffee is extremely popular. It is used to make such a simple, but so often ordered espresso.
The famous Santos coffee is considered the most popular; it is quite good in both taste and smell. This brand is exported to many countries and it is believed that the Santos coffee brand is the best Brazilian coffee. Another type of coffee is Bourbon Santos, which has clove notes in its taste. It is available in instant and grain form.
Instant coffee is made from failed beans that are not suitable for sale as beans. But for lovers of a very quick morning cup of coffee, instant bourbon Santos is in great demand not only all over the world, but also in the Russian Federation.
Features of growth
Since the climate was particularly humid, after dry Africa, plants had to adapt to new conditions. To grow successfully in soil that was literally saturated with water, the trees produced smaller, rounder fruits. Interestingly, in poor soils, plants also reduce fruit weight, so this is quite typical. Trees usually have large leaves to absorb as much sunlight as possible.
The fruit of the Bourbon coffee tree is always rounder and smaller than the typical Arabica.
Prices and reviews
In terms of cost, Bourbon products occupy a niche in the mid-price category.
- Bourbon the original 100 g - 330 rubles.
- Grand Cru 100 g - 429 rubles.
- Bourbon Select-a-Vantage 100 g - 494 rubles.
- Arabica Gold 100 gr - 325 rubles.
- Bourbon Espresso 100 g - 354 rubles.
According to consumers, the product is quite normal. There is no particular enthusiasm, but there are no extremely negative reviews either.
Not bad coffee for this price. I bought a jar of Grand Cru on sale. I read the ingredients and they say it’s real Arabica. I don't know if it's true. The taste is strong and average.
Olga, Krasnodar.
The packaging is as if it were selling an elite type of coffee. But that was not the case - the most ordinary, soluble one. No worse and no better. The price is reasonable, you can buy it.
Larisa, Moscow.
Bourbon coffee taste
The range of species of this variety is very diverse. Since the variety spread across the planet, trees have grown in a variety of conditions. For example, acidity greatly depends on the type of soil, the length of daylight hours, and the method of cultivation.
Many plantations are located in rainy regions where typical dry processing is not possible, so washed processing is chosen.
As with all fruits and vegetables, different colored varieties have different sugar and acid compositions. For example, yellow coffee cherries contain a higher total sugar concentration but release less complex flavors when roasted. Thus, yellow cherries lend themselves very well to fruity, sweet flavor profiles, while red cherries produce very balanced, more complex flavor profiles.
It is difficult to describe a specific taste - a lot depends on the manufacturer, roasting, etc., so you need to consider individual brands.
Varieties and subspecies of Bourbon coffee
The bourbon line includes Yellow Bourbon, Red Bourbon, Orange Bourbon, Pink Bourbon, and Point Bourbon (also called Laurina or Leroy Coffee). There are also two that emerged as a result of the "French Mission" (1897) - SL 28 and SL 34 (both found in Tanzania and Kenya), Pacas (El Salvador), Villa Sarchi (Costa Rica) and the dwarf form Caturra, from which it later developed the famous Catuaí in Brazil.
Yes, that's quite a lot. Therefore, to illustrate the line of “Bourbon” coffee, we will tell only about the most interesting varieties.
Yellow Bourbon
That same “real Brazilian coffee” is a natural hybrid of Red Bourbon and Amarelo de Butacuto, yellow Typica. Sweet and delicate, with citrus and floral notes. Complex flavors include dark chocolate, brown sugar and nuts, with moderate acidity (but higher than red or orange). It is often added to various blends to add a sweeter overall profile.
Red Bourbon (Red)
Another very popular variety, a natural mutation. It is believed that this is one of the best subspecies of Arabica for gourmets. Clean, light, yet quite bright coffee with a rich aromatic profile. While it is hot, the aromas of sugar and lemon are more noticeable; as it cools, tones of blackberry, red wine and chocolate appear.
Pink Bourbon (Pink)
A hybrid of yellow and red varieties, this subspecies took all the best. The brightest aroma and light body are exactly what many appreciate in a drink. It has bright fruity tones, milk chocolate, and the aroma of orange blossoms. However, depending on the plantation, these may include notes of green apple, apricot and red grapes. The aftertaste is unexpressed, but sometimes with hints of roasted almonds.
Orange Bourbon (Orange or Orange)
Another red-yellow hybrid created by nature, only now towards yellow. Clean, well-balanced, with notes of tart coffee cherry, orange and dark chocolate. The chocolate note carries a delicate astringent aftertaste. A very interesting shade that is appreciated by gourmets.
Bourbon Pointu / Laurina (Pointu, Laurina)
A natural mutation of Bourbon, which originally occurred on Reunion, that same rainy island. Due to this specific climate, it is characterized by very low tree growth and small grains. Interestingly, this variety has a reduced caffeine content, about 0.6%. The taste is sweet and sour, rich and dense, with sour and citrus notes.
Caturra
An exceptionally dwarf modification of red bourbon. It can produce both red and yellow fruits, as well as all their shades. This variety of beans is known for its fresh acidity and smooth body. Lower sweetness and clarity in the cup, sweet fruity wine notes with a bias towards red berries. It was originally grown in Brazil, then the subspecies spread to Costa Rica, Colombia and Nicaragua.
The variety is very great. But definitely, if you value a quality drink, you should try one of these pure varieties if possible.
Bourbon coffee selection
The manufacturer presents Bourbon Sobranie instant coffee in an assortment that includes single-origin and Arabica blends from different countries. The packaging is very convenient, in glass jars, and the choice of different flavors will allow any coffee gourmet to find their drink.
Let's take a closer look at all types of coffee included in this line.
GRAND CRU
Made from Brazilian Arabica grown on high mountain plantations. Coffee berries dry directly on the trees, then during harvesting they are simply shaken off the branches. This is the simplest and cheapest method of harvesting for mass production, which may reduce the intensity of the aroma. However, delicate roasting and processing technology allows the original taste to be preserved and transferred to the final drink - it is very rich, with a light creamy tint.
ESPRESSO
This is a mixed version, where ultra-fine ground natural coffee is added to the soluble granules. Made from selected grains grown in different countries. The addition of natural roasted grains makes the taste of the instant drink as close to natural as possible. The aroma and taste are bright, rich, with the presence of very delicate fruity shades.
ORIGINAL
A very successful blend of Bourbon coffee from crops grown in Brazil and Costa Rica. For this type of product, the beans undergo slow roasting, which allows for maximum flavor and aromatic qualities to be revealed. A striking distinctive feature of the finished drink is the presence of pleasant citrus shades, nuts and chocolate in the taste. A very elegant combination.
ARABICA GOLD
This blend combined three varieties of Arabica - Brazilian, Colombian and Kenyan. The beans are light roasted. This drink is very delicate, soft and at the same time rich. Connoisseurs will appreciate the combination of creamy flavor with spicy notes in taste.
SELECT-A-VANTAGE KENYA
This single variety from Kenya is a very worthy option in all respects. Coffee trees grow on mountain slopes where the soil is enriched with volcanic rocks. The peculiarity of the local climate allows the grains to ripen for a longer time, which is reflected in their rich taste and aroma. The drink retains in its taste spicy shades of spices, wine and delicate tones of tropical flowers, the thickets of which surround coffee tree plantations.
YELLOW BOURBON BRAZIL
This type of coffee is rare. The fact is that for its production they use Brazilian Arabica beans of a certain variety, grown on mountain plantations in Brazil. A distinctive feature of these berries is their thin and delicate peel, which turns yellow when ripe. This variety requires very careful handling and labor when harvesting. The taste is surprisingly bright with a rich, invigorating aroma.
Bourbon coffee producers
It's a very confusing area, and if you're looking for information online, it can be difficult to pinpoint what you need. For example:
- Monosort. This is exactly what we are talking about, natural grains with their special taste, from different plantations, a drink for gourmets. For example, Santos Bourbon coffee, which is grown on plantations in the Santos region of Brazil, is quite popular - it’s a classic.
- Bourbon coffee brand. In fact, it's also Bourbon Sobranie coffee. Something that is widely found on the Internet. The Russian brand, which we have already talked about, offers to buy Espresso Bourbon, or Arabica Gold coffee, instant options in beautiful cans.
- Coffee with bourbon, that is, flavored. Of course, there is no alcoholic drink there, just a slight taste and bright smell created chemically. There are a lot of manufacturers, it can be grain, ground, instant.
It is worth understanding that selected specialty grains are not used for instant or mass-produced inexpensive products. If it is “bourbon coffee,” it is usually made from the most inexpensive or substandard beans.
What is the advantage of Bourbon
Bourbon coffee is real Brazilian coffee, which has a creamy taste, original aroma and a tobacco aftertaste. In order for at least someone to try Bourbon coffee in our time, colossal work is being done on the plantations. Moreover, the number of such plantations is limited, because caring for and processing the grains is done manually. Drying of coffee beans is carried out directly on the branches. Bourbon coffee is used primarily to make the perfect espresso. Although no one forbade making any other drink from this type of coffee.
Brazil is a world leader in coffee growing and production. More than one third of the world's coffee comes from Brazil.
Santos coffee trees produce very small fruits for the first 4 years. But this is the highest quality coffee, which has a soft aroma, it is moderately sour and rich.
Bourbon coffee price
Depending on the type of product we discussed above, the cost and options for where to buy it differ. Here are a few options, just to give you an idea of the situation:
- Bourbon coffee from a Russian brand, in glass jars of 100 grams, about 300 - 500 rubles per beautifully decorated jar.
- Lavazza Bourbon Intenso 1 kg – 600 rub. Contains 100% Robusta from Asia. Just a nice name.
- Brazil Yellow Bourbon from Modena Coffee – they promise specialty coffee, – 250 rubles for 250 grams of beans.
- Blues Organic Brasil Bourbon 200 g – 950 rubles. Organic, certified by Switzerland.
- Live coffee – all variants of “bourbon” coffee – about 600 rubles per half kilo.
You can buy bulk products at any supermarket. And what belongs to elite single varieties is better to buy in specialized coffee and tea stores, or in an online store that you trust.
Brand
All information leads to Intergroup. Judging by official information, their main activity is the production and sale of food products. Tea, coffee and sweets (see list of products containing caffeine). If you try to look at the information on their official website, the data on coffee will lead you to the manufacturer Sobranie. In turn, they are the owner, which produces Bourbon coffee for the Russian market.
Bourbon coffee reviews
For the most part, those reviews that are found in the Russian-language segment of the Internet refer specifically to the mass-produced instant product. On average, the score fluctuates around 4/5, there are some solid A's and some disappointments.
But if we are talking about high-quality, real bourbon, the ratings here are usually 5/5, because the taste and aroma are truly impressive and memorable. Different varieties have their own characteristics of bitterness, sourness, sweetness and nuances, but they are always good. If possible, try and buy Bourbon coffee directly from where it grows, you are guaranteed to be impressed!
Reviews
Studying reviews of people who have tried Bourbon coffee, about 90% of them advise purchasing the product.
Oksana, Moscow: I was attracted by a beautiful and stylish jar when I was looking for coffee as a gift. Yellow Bourbon coffee turned out to be pleasant to the taste, its aroma is very subtle. I think it wouldn’t be a shame to give it as a gift, just for a woman.
Larisa, Kirov: The coffee has a soft, creamy taste, no bitterness. I liked the natural scent. After a cup of Bourbon coffee, you feel a surge of energy.
Tatyana, Voronezh: I bought GRAND CRU Bourbon. I didn’t see anything outstanding: the smell of inexpensive coffee, the taste rather tart. I wouldn't take it a second time.
