Arabica · Coffee Variety
Pink Bourbon
Pink Bourbon is specialty coffee's current darling: a pink-fruited variety from Colombia's Huila department whose explosive floral-tropical cup carried it from local curiosity to the top of competition menus within a decade. The pink cherry color comes from blended red and yellow pigment expression.
Long assumed a Bourbon color mutation, genetic analysis indicates it is closer to Ethiopian landrace stock — which its cup always suggested: jasmine, stone fruit, and candy-like sweetness far outside the classic Bourbon register. High-grown lots from San Adolfo and Acevedo now command Geisha-adjacent prices.
Pink Bourbon at a glance
| Species | Arabica |
|---|---|
| Lineage | Distinct landrace-derived selection from Huila, Colombia (recent genetics suggest Ethiopian ancestry rather than true Bourbon) |
| Plant stature | Medium, moderately compact |
| Yield potential | Medium |
| Disease resistance | Moderate; better rust tolerance than classic Bourbon lines |
| Optimal altitude | 1,600–2,100 m |
| Bean size | Medium-large |
| Cup profile | Jasmine, peach, tropical fruit, and candy sweetness with sparkling acidity |
Where Pink Bourbon is grown
Pink Bourbon — frequently asked questions
Is Pink Bourbon actually a Bourbon?
Apparently not — recent genetic work places it nearer Ethiopian landrace ancestry, explaining its un-Bourbon-like floral intensity. The traditional name has stuck regardless.
Why are Pink Bourbon prices so high?
A Geisha-like cup from a hardier, higher-yielding plant, in fashionable limited supply from Huila's smallholders — competition demand has outrun production.
Where does Pink Bourbon grow best?
Very high Huila farms (1,700 m+), where slow ripening amplifies the florals; it increasingly appears across Colombia and in trial plots worldwide.
Sourcing Pink Bourbon? Volcana Coffee grows and exports high-altitude Catimor, Typica, and washed Fine Robusta from the Bolaven Plateau, Laos — with SGS-inspected quality and full export documentation.
Request a SampleRelated coffee varieties
Typica
Clean, sweet, silky body with delicate citrus and floral notes at altitude.
Bourbon
Caramel sweetness, balanced citric acidity, buttery mouthfeel.
Caturra
Bright citric acidity, sugar-cane sweetness, lighter body than Bourbon.
SL28
Blackcurrant, grapefruit, tomato-vine acidity, wine-like body — the classic Kenya profile.