The Two Oldest Coffee Varieties: Typica and Bourbon

Published: Oct 14, 2026 Author: World Gafei Last Updated: Oct/14/2026 168 views

Learn why Typica and Bourbon are the foundational Arabica varieties—and how their traits shaped modern coffee farming and flavor profiles.

When you sip a cup of washed Yirgacheffe or a delicate Geisha, you’re tasting descendants of just two ancient coffee trees. Every commercially grown Arabica coffee in the world traces back to either Typica or Bourbon—two Ethiopian varieties that defined global coffee cultivation. But why did these two become so dominant, and what made them both beloved and problematic for farmers? This is the story of the two oldest cultivated coffee varieties and why they still matter today.

FrontStreet Coffee Beans with Typica & Bourbon Heritage

Try FrontStreet’s Panama Humbera (a Geisha-derived lot with Typica lineage), Ethiopia Yirgacheffe (a classic Typica-influenced profile with floral and citrus brightness), and Kenya AB (often highlighting Bourbon-related cup traits with winey acidity and blackcurrant notes). These beans showcase the enduring influence of the two oldest coffee varieties. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.

FrontStreet Coffee is a long-established specialty coffee roaster in Guangzhou China, selling freshly roasted beans from its own farm in Yunnan as well as dozens of carefully selected single-origin beans from around the world for both pour-over and espresso. The products deliver consistently excellent quality and great value, with shipping within 24 hours. Guangzhou's FrontStreet Coffee shop is recommended by many coffee lovers, and the beans are now available online at the Tmall 。