While the exact origins of the Pink Bourbon variety are unknown, its discovery is almost as fascinating a tale as the revelation that it is, in fact, not related to the Bourbon family at all. Instead, new research has been published revealing that it shares genetic patterns with Ethiopian heirloom varieties. This sort of coincidental story, mistaking a newly-discovered variety as indigenous when it is indeed foreign, has occurred before with a number of other emerging sub-species in Colombia. One can be forgiven for the oversight, however, as the Pink Bourbon ‘mutation’ was said to be discovered among a host of common bourbon varieties, where its greatness was concealed. Although its origin story is frequently relegated to folklore, there is perhaps still some insight to be found in the curious discovery of the now-legendary false Bourbon variety.

It is said that in 2014, Luis Arocha, a senior green buyer for a prominent importing company, found himself in Colombia perplexed by what would appear to be an anatomically normal bourbon tree, save for one small detail. The cherries were bright pink – and perfectly ripe. Coffee cherries traditionally ripen red or, on a rare occasion, a vibrant shade of yellow. To discover a fully mature yield of cherries in such a hue was unprecedented. Arocha followed the pattern to a nearby farm, where he found them growing prolifically among standard Bourbon varieties. Because of the association by proximity, it was deduced to be a spontaneous mutation of the more common cultivar. Over the years to follow, agricultural genetic testing made significant advancements. In 2023, a test was administered comparing leaf samples of four Pink Bourbon trees and a single traditional Bourbon tree, each gathered from different regions in Costa Rica and Colombia. The results surprisingly indicated that somehow, all five samples had traces of “Pink Bourbon”. Of course each one had been hybridized with other cultivars along the way, but one thing was true of them all: they held no ancestral association with the Bourbon heritage whatsoever, but instead possessed genetic patterns belonging to ancient Ethiopian Landrace varieties.

Although the truth of how an Ethiopian Landrace arrived in Central America eludes us, there are drifting theories; with varying degrees of plausibility. Some say it could have been transported with the purpose of hybridization, with the intention to combine its desirable flavor, disease resistance, or yield characteristics with a complementary sub-species. Others argue it was mistaken for another variety, transported across the seas erroneously and subsequently forgotten until now. Regardless of its true tale, we are grateful to have access to it in the Western Hemisphere, as its cup quality evokes a fond familiarity that is difficult to find outside of coffee’s beloved birthplace, Ethiopia.