What is Laurina or Bourbon Pointu?

Laurina, also known as Bourbon Pointu, is a natural mutation of Red Bourbon characterised by elongated, pointed beans and a naturally very low caffeine content — approximately two to three times lower than standard Arabica. Originally from Réunion Island, it is regarded as one of the rarest and most refined coffees in the world.

Bourbon Pointu appeared as a spontaneous variant of Red Bourbon on Île Bourbon — today Réunion — likely in the 18th or 19th century. Its botanical name, Coffea arabica var. Laurina, comes from the Latin laurinus (laurel-shaped), referring to the distinctive form of its leaves and beans, which are markedly more elongated and pointed than those of standard rounded Bourbon. At its peak in the 19th century, Bourbon Pointu coffee was celebrated in Parisian gastronomic circles as one of the finest coffees in the world. The expansion of sugar cane cultivation, followed by agricultural decline, led to near-extinction: by the late 20th century, only a few dozen trees remained on the island.

A rehabilitation programme launched in the 2000s by the local cooperative, supported by Japanese partners — notably the roasting chain Key Coffee — revived production. Today, a few dozen hectares are cultivated organically in the Hauts de La Réunion, at altitudes between 800 and 1,500 metres. Annual output remains very limited: rarely more than 5 to 10 tonnes of green coffee, making it one of the rarest coffees in the world by volume.

Its most remarkable characteristic is its caffeine content: approximately 0.6 to 0.8 % caffeine, versus 1.2–1.7 % for standard Arabica — two to three times less. This natural caffeine reduction is due to an enzymatic peculiarity inherited from the mutation, not to any artificial processing. In the cup, Bourbon Pointu delivers a profile of exceptional elegance: very little bitterness, great sweetness, fine almost imperceptible acidity, with notes of white tea, nougat, orange blossom and stone fruit. Its aromatic delicacy and digestibility make it a coffee particularly suited to evening drinking, without the usual stimulant effects.

Laurina vs Red Bourbon: comparison