New extremely rare coffee varieties revealed – will new factors surpass the Gesha varieties?

According to analysis by market research experts, consumer demand for specialty coffee increases rapidly each year. Consumers tend to like to explore and favor new, higher-quality flavors. Therefore, manufacturers strive to find and produce new, exclusive varieties to increase competitiveness. This, along with the expansion of research by scientists, has contributed to promoting the presence of new scarce coffee varieties on the market today. Among them, some prominent names include Eugenioides, Pink Bourbon, Sidra, Wush Wush, and Laurina

Eugenioides

Eugenioides coffee is a rare variety that appeared on the world stage six years ago. Researchers identify it as the parent of Arabica coffee and originate from East Africa. The coffee features outstanding tropical fruit aromas, sweetness, low acidity, and a smooth mouthfeel. When appearing at the 2021 World Coffee Championships, Eugenioides Coffee received a lot of attention from the coffee community and compared it to Gesha. Even many roasters and consumers have fought over each other to be able to enjoy a cup of Eugenioides coffee.

Eugenioides coffee is widely noticed by the coffee community and compared to Gesha

Sidra

Sidra coffee (also known as Sydra or Bourbon Sidra) is a rare coffee variety believed to originate from the Pichincha province in Ecuador. Although it is a new variety and has little information in the coffee industry, Sidra is becoming increasingly popular due to its high flavor quality and cup profile. Many reviews say it has a delightful mouthfeel and a lively flavor with notes of ripe fruit such as nectarines, apricots, peaches, or ripe tangerines. This coffee appeared in the World Barista Champion competitions in 2019, and 2022 and helped Jooyeon Jeon and Anthony Douglas win big.

Sidra coffee is becoming increasingly popular due to its exceptional flavor quality

Pink Bourbon

Pink Bourbon is a bright name on the list of new rare coffees. The coffee stands out with its light pink color and rich flavor similar to Panamanian and Ethiopian coffees. This uniqueness makes this coffee variety immediately attract the attention of the community. Especially in the final round of the 2023 World Barista Championship, the presence of Pink Bourbon contributed to the victory of barista – Boram Um. In addition, some recent studies indicate that Pink Bourbon is genetically related to indigenous varieties of Ethiopia with outstanding potential in the specialty coffee industry. Although there has not been in-depth research, scientists believe that this coffee variety can expand its production scale and become famous in the near future.

Pink Bourbon stands out with its light pink color and rich flavor

Wush Wush

Wush Wush is a coffee variety originating from Ethiopia. With a wide variety of flavors including blueberry, vanilla, maple, and lavender, this coffee quickly became distinctive and popular when first discovered. In many areas of Colombia, Wush Wush is a premium product. Additionally, this type of coffee is often purchased for competitions or special events.

Wush Wush is famous for its diverse flavors

Laurina

Laurina coffee is a rare, outstanding coffee in the world with naturally low caffeine content. In addition to the special property of only containing about half the caffeine content of other Arabica coffee varieties, it is also known to have an attractive flavor. Laurina’s flavor profile is bright and varied with melon-like and citrus fruit notes. This makes this coffee the choice of many roasters as an alternative to decaf coffee and promotes it with its higher quality and flavor potential. Additionally, in 2018, MAME Coffee co-founder Emi Fukahori used Laurina and won the World Brewers Cup.

Laurina is a rare coffee with naturally low caffeine content

Sudan Rume

Sudan Rume is an ancient Arabica coffee variety originating from the Boma Plateau in South Sudan, near the Ethiopian border. It is one of the rarest remaining heirloom varieties and is considered a genetic ancestor of many well-known cultivars such as SL28 and several F1 Hybrids.

Sudan Rume trees are relatively short (2–2.5 meters), with strong roots and good resistance to leaf rust and pests. The cherries are round and turn deep red or dark purple when ripe. The beans are long, well-formed, and have few defects.

Although it has low yield, Sudan Rume is highly valued for its cup quality, offering complex acidity and sweetness. Its flavor profile is reminiscent of a delicate tea, making it ideal for breeding new Specialty varieties. Tasting notes include white florals, sweet strawberry jam, tropical fruit, wildflowers, a hint of mint and eucalyptus, finishing with a smooth, lingering chocolate aftertaste.

Sudan Rume is an ancient Arabica coffee variety, originating from the Boma Highlands region of South Sudan, Ethiopia

Obata

Obata is a rare hybrid developed in Brazil starting in 1972 and officially released for cultivation in 2000.

There are two main variants: Red Obata and Yellow Obata. Red Obata is a cross between Timor Hybrid 832/2 and Villa Sarchi CIFC 971/10. Yellow Obata is a further cross between Red Obata and Yellow Catuai, aiming to improve yield and disease resistance.

The variety is highly resistant to leaf rust and offers high productivity, making it suitable for large-scale farms. Its cup profile features a bright citrus acidity balanced with a smooth chocolatey finish. Though it requires attentive care, Obata is proving to be a promising cultivar due to its high performance and adaptability.

Obata is a rare hybrid developed in Brazil since 1972.

Ouro Verde

Ouro Verde is a hybrid developed in Brazil in 1961 by crossing Yellow Catuai and Mundo Novo. However, it was not widely cultivated until 2000. The plant features dark green foliage that turns emerald as it matures, and the ripe cherries are red.

This variety stands out for its large plant size, high yield, and strong drought tolerance. Its cup quality is considered good, with a gentle sweetness and subtle notes of nuts and fruit.

One significant drawback is its susceptibility to leaf rust, requiring more careful management from growers.

Ouro Verde is a coffee variety bred from Yellow Catuai and Mundo Novo in Brazil in 1961.

Selected F1 Hybrids

F1 Hybrids are coffee varieties developed by crossing two genetically distinct parents. The first generation (F1) typically displays strong vigor, high yield, and good resistance to disease and pests.

Several F1 hybrids are now cultivated globally, including Centroamericano H1, Casiopea, Milenio, Mundo Maya, Starmaya, and Ruiru 11. Many of these have earned top scores in Cup of Excellence competitions, noted for their cup quality and disease resistance.

F1 Hybrids are considered a major advancement in sustainable coffee farming, offering farmers improved resilience without compromising flavor quality.

F1 Hybrid is a group of coffee varieties created by crossing two parents with different genetic backgrounds.

Gesha is a rare indigenous coffee variety originating from Ethiopia. Since winning the Best of Panama auction, this type of coffee has emerged and is associated with the title of the most expensive and premium coffee in the world. The international community’s popularity and prices for Gesha coffee lots have remained high for more than two decades. In particular, the price of a batch of Gesha can be up to more than 10,000 USD, equivalent to more than 240,000,000 VND for one kilogram of coffee. For example, currently, the wet-processed Gesha coffee lot at the 2023 Best of Panama auction is still valued at up to 10,005 USD/kg.

According to experts, Gesha’s popularity is due to the quality and differences in characteristics of the variety. Therefore, even though the market is diverse with new types and varieties of extremely rare coffee, Gesha still has its position.

Gesha is associated with the title of the most expensive and premium coffee in the world

With increasingly fierce competition in the coffee world, innovation and development will always be an indispensable part. Manufacturers will step up the search for the “best” coffee to diversify their product shelves. Therefore, more and more new rare coffee varieties with more unique characteristics may appear on the market. If you love new things and want to explore different flavors of specialty coffee, visit XLIII Coffee!

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