What Is Caturra Coffee?

by Marcus McCombe | Aug 8, 2026

What Is Caturra Coffee?

TL;DR

Caturra is a natural dwarf mutation of the Bourbon variety, discovered in Brazil in the 1930s. It retains much of Bourbon’s sweetness and flavour complexity but grows as a shorter, more compact tree that produces higher yields. Furthermore, Caturra has become one of the most widely planted specialty coffee varieties in Latin America, particularly in Colombia. It produces bright acidity, clean sweetness, citrus, and cherry notes with a lighter body than Bourbon. Moreover, Caturra’s clean cup profile makes it one of the most versatile varieties for experimental processing, which is why producers like Julio Quiceno use it to create some of the most expressive and boundary-pushing coffees in the world.

The Quick Answer

If Bourbon is the foundation, Caturra is the workhorse. It inherited Bourbon’s flavour quality but wrapped it in a smaller, more productive tree that farmers could plant more densely and harvest more easily. Moreover, this combination of quality and practicality made Caturra one of the most important varieties in the history of specialty coffee. It dominates Colombian coffee production, underpins countless blends, and serves as the base variety for some of the most innovative experimental lots in the world.

This article explains where Caturra comes from, what it tastes like, why producers love it, and how different processing methods transform it. For the variety it descended from, read our guide on what Bourbon coffee is.

The Origin Story

Caturra takes its name from the town of Caturra in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, where farmers first noticed it in the 1930s. A natural genetic mutation had produced a Bourbon tree that grew significantly shorter than normal, with shorter internodes between its branches. Moreover, this compact growth habit meant more branches per tree and more cherries per branch, which translated directly into higher yields per hectare.

Researchers at the Instituto Agronômico de Campinas studied the mutation and recognised its commercial potential. Because it retained Bourbon’s cup quality while producing more coffee per tree, Caturra offered farmers a rare combination: better economics without sacrificing flavour. Furthermore, the shorter trees simplified harvesting, because pickers could reach the cherries without ladders or excessive bending.

From Brazil, Caturra spread rapidly across Latin America during the mid-twentieth century. Colombia adopted it extensively, and by the 1970s and 1980s, Caturra had become one of the dominant varieties across the country’s coffee-growing regions. It also took hold in Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Today, Caturra remains one of the most widely planted specialty varieties in the Americas.

What Does Caturra Coffee Taste Like?

Caturra produces a clean, bright, and sweet cup that shares Bourbon’s core qualities but expresses them with more acidity and less body. Common tasting notes include:

Citrus. Lemon, lime, mandarin, and grapefruit. Moreover, citrus is the most consistent Caturra note across origins and processing methods. The acidity tends to be bright and clean rather than sharp or overwhelming.
Cherry. Red cherry, dark cherry, and maraschino. Furthermore, cherry notes in Caturra often bridge the gap between fruit and sweetness, creating a balanced, approachable cup.
Clean sweetness. Caturra’s sweetness is more transparent than Bourbon’s caramel richness. It reads as sugar cane, panela, or light honey rather than toffee or brown sugar. For more on sweetness in coffee, read our guide on what makes coffee sweet.
Bright acidity. One of Caturra’s defining characteristics. The acidity provides structure and liveliness without dominating the cup. For more on how acidity works in coffee, read our guide on what coffee acidity is.
Light to medium body. Caturra produces a lighter, more delicate body than Bourbon or Castillo. This makes it especially well-suited to pour-over and filter brewing, where its clarity and brightness shine.

However, what makes Caturra truly special is not just how it tastes on its own but how it responds to processing. Its clean flavour profile acts as a canvas: whatever the producer does during processing comes through clearly in the cup.

The Experimental Processing Canvas

Caturra has become the variety of choice for many of the world’s most innovative coffee producers. Because it starts with a clean, balanced profile, the flavours created during fermentation and processing come through with remarkable clarity. Moreover, this is not a coincidence. Producers specifically choose Caturra for experimental lots because heavier-bodied or more characterful varieties can mask or muddy the effects of complex processing.

Co-fermentation. Our Tutti Frutti blend pairs co-fermented Caturra with Pink Bourbon. The Caturra delivers the bright fruit and sparkling energy, while the Bourbon provides the sweet, balanced foundation. The co-fermentation heightens the Caturra’s natural acidity into something vivid, juicy, and electric.
Fruit fermentation. Julio Quiceno’s Caturra Grape and Blackberry Ferment from Finca Milán in Pereira demonstrates what happens when a skilled producer uses Caturra as the base for fruit-forward fermentation. The result is juicy grape, blackberry, and sugarcane sweetness. Furthermore, the Caturra’s natural brightness amplifies and clarifies the fruit character rather than competing with it.
Advanced fermentation in blends. Our Banoffee Pie blend uses Caturra alongside Red Bourbon and Castillo with advanced fermentation. The Caturra contributes brightness and structure that prevents the dessert-like sweetness from becoming heavy or cloying.
Washed processing. Organic Colombia Tolima pairs washed Caturra with Typica at 1,650 to 1,800 metres. The result is chocolate, caramel, and panela: a clean, classic, and beautifully balanced cup that showcases what washed Caturra does at its simplest and best.

For the full picture of how processing shapes coffee flavour, read our complete guide to coffee processing methods.

Where Caturra Grows Today

Caturra grows across Latin America, with each origin bringing out different aspects of the variety:

Colombia. The heartland of Caturra production. Colombian Caturra, especially from Quindío, Risaralda, Huila, and Nariño, benefits from high altitude, volcanic soils, and a processing culture that ranges from impeccably clean washed lots to cutting-edge experimental fermentation. Moreover, Colombia produces more innovative Caturra lots than any other origin.
Costa Rica. Caturra performs exceptionally well in Costa Rica’s high-altitude regions. Furthermore, Costa Rican producers have pioneered honey-processed Caturra, which amplifies sweetness and stone fruit alongside the variety’s natural brightness.
Honduras. A rapidly improving specialty origin where Caturra thrives at altitude. Moreover, Honduran producers increasingly experiment with anaerobic and co-fermented Caturra, producing distinctive results.
Guatemala. Guatemalan Caturra tends to produce chocolate, citrus, and stone fruit with a clean finish. Furthermore, the volcanic soils of Antigua and the high altitudes of Huehuetenango develop excellent complexity.
Nicaragua. Nicaraguan Caturra and Caturra-derived hybrids produce clean, bright, and fruit-forward cups. Our Nicaragua Blueberry Candy uses an H3 variety (a cross between Caturra and an Ethiopian landrace accession) that maintains Caturra’s brightness while adding exotic fruit complexity.
Brazil. Where Caturra originated. Brazilian Caturra tends to produce lower-acidity, nuttier, and more chocolatey cups compared to high-altitude Latin American origins.

Caturra in the Coffee Family Tree

Caturra is not just an important variety in its own right. It is also the parent of several other commercially significant varieties:

Catuai. A cross between Caturra and Mundo Novo (which is itself a Bourbon-Typica hybrid). Catuai is one of the most widely planted varieties in Central America and Brazil. Moreover, it inherits Caturra’s compact growth habit and adds disease resistance.
Maracaturra. A cross between Caturra and Maragogipe. Furthermore, Maracaturra produces large beans with tropical fruit and bright acidity.
Catimor. A cross between Caturra and Timor Hybrid (which carries Robusta genetics for disease resistance). Catimor trades some cup quality for significantly better resistance to coffee leaf rust.
Castillo. Colombia’s widely planted hybrid, which includes Caturra in its lineage alongside disease-resistant Timor Hybrid genetics. Moreover, modern Castillo selections increasingly produce excellent cup quality. Read our guide on what Castillo coffee is (coming soon).

For the variety Caturra descended from, read our guide on what Bourbon coffee is. For the variety that many consider the pinnacle of coffee genetics, read our guide on what Gesha coffee is.

Caturra Versus Castillo: The Colombian Debate

In Colombia, the most discussed varietal question is Caturra versus Castillo. For decades, Caturra was the dominant variety, prized by specialty buyers for its clean cup quality. However, coffee leaf rust devastated Caturra plantings in the 2000s and 2010s, and the Colombian Coffee Federation (FNC) aggressively promoted Castillo as a rust-resistant alternative.

Many specialty buyers initially resisted Castillo, arguing that it could not match Caturra’s cup quality. However, a new generation of Colombian producers has demonstrated that carefully grown and processed Castillo can produce excellent results. Moreover, some producers now blend Caturra and Castillo together, combining Caturra’s brightness with Castillo’s body and resilience. Our Banoffee Pie blend does exactly this.

The debate is increasingly academic. Both varieties produce exceptional coffee when grown at altitude, harvested selectively, and processed with care. Furthermore, the processing innovation happening in Colombia means that the producer’s skill and fermentation technique often matter more than the variety alone.

Caturra Coffee at Routes

Caturra runs through our lineup across blends, single origins, and experimental lots:

Julio Quiceno: Caturra, Grape and Blackberry Ferment is a pure Caturra lot from Finca Milán in Pereira. Julio’s grape and blackberry fermentation unlocks juicy fruit and sugarcane sweetness that showcases what experimental processing can do with this variety.
Tutti Frutti Co Fermented Premium Blend pairs co-fermented Caturra with Pink Bourbon. The Caturra brings brightness and sparkling energy, the Bourbon brings sweetness and body.
Organic Colombia Tolima is washed Caturra and Typica at its cleanest and most classic. Chocolate, caramel, and panela. If you want to taste what Caturra does without experimental processing, this is the one.
Banoffee Pie blends Caturra with Red Bourbon and Castillo using advanced fermentation. Toffee, ripe banana, cinnamon, and cream.

Alternatively, a Routes Coffee subscription delivers a rotating selection of specialty coffees to your door, starting from £9 with free UK delivery. Caturra appears frequently across our offerings in different forms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Caturra coffee?

Caturra is a natural dwarf mutation of the Bourbon variety, discovered in the town of Caturra in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in the 1930s. It retains much of Bourbon’s sweetness and flavour complexity but grows as a shorter, more compact tree that produces higher yields. Caturra is one of the most widely planted specialty coffee varieties in Latin America, particularly in Colombia.

What does Caturra coffee taste like?

Caturra produces bright acidity, clean sweetness, citrus, and cherry notes with a lighter body than its parent variety Bourbon. Furthermore, Caturra’s clean cup profile makes it exceptionally versatile. It responds well to every processing method, from washed to anaerobic to co-fermentation, which is why experimental producers prize it as a canvas for innovative processing.

What is the difference between Caturra and Bourbon?

Caturra is a natural mutation of Bourbon. The key differences are physical: Caturra grows as a shorter, more compact tree with shorter internodes between branches, which allows denser planting and higher yields per hectare. In flavour, Caturra retains Bourbon’s sweetness but tends to produce brighter acidity and a lighter body. Bourbon typically produces more caramel, chocolate, and a fuller body.

Where does Caturra coffee grow?

Caturra grows widely across Latin America. Colombia is the largest producer, where Caturra has been a dominant variety for decades. It also grows extensively in Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Brazil. Caturra performs best at altitudes above 1,200 metres, where cooler temperatures develop its acidity and complexity.

Why do producers use Caturra for experimental processing?

Caturra’s clean, bright flavour profile makes it an ideal canvas for experimental processing methods. Because the variety produces a clean cup with good acidity and sweetness, the effects of anaerobic fermentation, co-fermentation, and carbonic maceration come through clearly without being muddied by heavy varietal characteristics. Many competition-winning experimental lots use Caturra as their base variety.

Is Caturra good for espresso?

Yes. Caturra works well as espresso, particularly in blends where its brightness and acidity complement sweeter, fuller-bodied components. Furthermore, washed Caturra at a medium roast produces balanced, citrus-forward espresso with good sweetness. In milk-based drinks, Caturra’s acidity cuts through cleanly and provides structure.