Do someone knows about Bourbon Pointu from Reunion

[cathybean]

Hi !!

Im french and please escuse my english ....

I spent my last holydays in Reunion Island near Mauritius and I discovered a knew coffee !!!
Bourbon Pointu coffee , "the best coffee in the world" said a coffee producer to me and also export to Japan..
I tasted the Grand Cru (super premium coffee) and I was really surprised by this new taste.
In Reunion Island we can find it only in delicatessens and it is sold about 45 euros!! for a 250g pouche.

So if someone knows about this coffee and where I can find it here?

Please answer me..


cathybean

[Thundergod]

Re: Do someone knows about Bourbon Pointu from Reu

Welcome to Coffee Snobs cathybean.
Your English is fine and certainly "meilleur que mon Français".

I havent heard of this coffee of which you speak but am certain you can find something just as good if not better.

What do you prefer to drink?
Espresso, flat white?

[luca]

Re: Do someone knows about Bourbon Pointu from Reu

Hi cathybean,

Although I suppose that most coffee beans look the same, there are, in fact, many, many different varietals of the coffee plant. Its similar to apples; granny smith, fuji, cox, etc. all taste different. I just did a quick google and it looks like the Bourbon Pointu is a varietal that is being explored through a project run by CIRAD and Ueshima Coffee in Japan. There is a little english summary here and a much more comprehensive web page in french here.

The long and the short of it seems to be that the project is still in its early stages and, so, only a very small amount of Pointu was made available. Hopefully, well see more production in the years to come, but I wouldnt be too optimistic about seeing it coming to Australia for a while. Japanese buyers have proven to be very willing to pay high prices for coffees that they are interested in and are great at buying out the whole of a farms output - whether through a long-term contract or just through auction. Sometimes some stuff will make it from Japan to Australia, but, even then, its probably more likely to be stashed in the back of a roastery for consumption by the staff than to be sold to the public.

Dont despair, though, the phrase "best coffee in the world" is probably just a marketing gimmick. As TG suggested, if you let us know what you like to drink, we might be able to recommend something. In general, I think that it is fair to say that Australia has a difficult time getting good quality coffee in and the situation at the moment seems to be particularly bad across the whole industry, or, at least, the roasters who I have spoken to. That said, there is always the opportunity to produce superb coffee by expending more effort in the roasting and blending and/or in the selection.

From memory, the Bourbon varietal is a mutation of the Typica varietal that actually occurred in Reunion and it takes its name from the islands former name (Ile Bourbon). Farmers in various countries across the world grow Bourbon varietals, such as Red, Yellow and Orange Bourbon. El Salvador harvested very recently and the few cups that I have had of the advance shipment at work have been very exciting. Rwanda were sensible enough to plant Bourbon in order to try to establish a specialty coffee market as opposed to a commodity coffee market and they seem to have done a very good job of it; the Rwandan golden cup winning coffee is spectacular. In addition, I think that most of the central and south american producers also grow Bourbon, particularly Brazil. In fact, it looks like Andy has surreptitiously added a new blend consisting only of Brazil Bourbon coffees to the stuff that you can buy through mail order in the "Coffeesnobs Brown" section of this site.

There is a particularly good english article that covers different varietals here.

Cheers,

Luca

[Thundergod]

Re: Do someone knows about Bourbon Pointu from Reu

My latest roast is a Brazil Yellow Bourbon.
Ill be trying it tomorrow morning before breakfast.

So if the Pointu is closely related, then cathybean may like it.

[angelina]

Re: Do someone knows about Bourbon Pointu from Reunion

Hi Cathybean,

Im Chinese and now in China and sorry for that my English is not so good.
When I google the Bourbon Pointu for more information I found your message.
Here are what I found about Bourbon Pointu share with you.

http://www.javaqueen.us/coffee-academy/java-quest-lost-coffee-found-on-island/2007/07/15/
http://www.bloggle.com/2007/07/found-the-forgotten-coffee-of-reunion-island/
http://www.ucc.co.jp/bourbon/product.html

UCC only has Japanese for the introduction of bourbon.
It says last year there were only 2000pack*100g (JPY7350 for100g )and have been sold out in one day.
(It seems much cheaper in France.)
So I guess there are no Bourbon Pointu now .I hope to taste it too.So Im waiting to see the UCCs news about bourbon in 2009.

Also Im surprised you have tasted Grand Cru Cafe.
Because its a new brand almost no people knows it out of Japan and
only be sold in Japan since 1st Nov.2008.
It is created by MR.Jose Kawashima Yoshiaki who is a famouse Japanese coffee expert and hes efforting in reviving the Bourbon for 8years.
I have tasted it in Tokyo the end of last year.
I believe it should be one of the best coffee in the world.
They are selected by Mr.Kawashima from the best coffee trees on the best section from the best farm in Colombia(Bellavista/Rancheria),Panama(Carmen/Kotowa),El Salvador(Selva Negra) and Guatemala(San Sebastian).

My friend is Mr.Kawashimas friend so I got chance to meet Grand Cru Cafe.
I will tell Mr. Kawashima that out of Japan in France Cathybean had tasted Grand Cru.He must be very happy. Because its his 30years coffee dream.Hope you and all coffee lovers support Grand Cru Cafe.
www.grand-cru-cafe.com

By the way,Im happy your message took me to the coffeesnobs.

Angelina@Shanghai

[JohnnieAustrian]

Hediart will have it for sure