Bourbon Elite
Sources: Tim Wendelboe (website)
Bourbon Elite is the name given by Gilberto Baraona to the old Bourbon trees at Finca Los Pirineos in Usulután, El Salvador. Gilberto designated them “elite” because he believed they originated from the original genetic material of Bourbon trees brought from Réunion Island — the island (formerly called Île Bourbon) where the Bourbon variety emerged as a natural mutation of Typica around 1720.
Background
Most Bourbon in El Salvador was introduced through multiple re-introduction and selection events over generations; genetic drift and selection pressure has resulted in significant variation across farms. Gilberto Baraona’s claim was that his trees represented a particularly pure or ancestral form of Bourbon, genetically closer to the Réunion Island origin stock.
Note: This claim has not been independently verified by genetic testing in available sources. It may reflect farm lore or a historical record passed down within the Baraona family. Verify if genetic characterisation of Bourbon Elite becomes available.
At Finca Los Pirineos
Bourbon Elite is one of four cultivars that Diego Baraona has identified as production priorities for Los Pirineos, alongside Pacamara, Sudan Rume, and Pink Bourbon. (source: Tim Wendelboe (website))
Tim Wendelboe’s first engagement with Los Pirineos (2010, Cup of Excellence auction) was reportedly motivated by the sweet flavour profile of Bourbon Elite — suggesting it has a distinctly expressive cup character relative to common Bourbon selections.
Cup Profile
Not fully documented in current sources. Implied cup character: sweet, clean, with the classic Bourbon markers (red fruit, mild acidity, smooth body) in a particularly pronounced expression. Specific tasting notes are not available from the Tim Wendelboe page.
Relation to Broader Bourbon Genetics
See Coffee Varieties for the Bourbon variety family, including Red, Orange, Yellow, Salmon, and Elephant Bourbon phenotypes documented at SICAFESA. Bourbon Elite appears to be a separate named selection based on genealogical claim rather than phenotypic distinction.