In Puerto Rico, there have been several varieties of Arabica coffee over the years. The first two to arrive were the cousins Borbón and Típica, the most historically important varieties in coffee, since the vast majority of Latin American countries have planted them and they have stood out in those origins. As a fact, Típica did so well in our Puerto Rican soil that it was even called the Puerto Rico Variety in the 19th century.
Unfortunately, climate change have made it more difficult to produce both Típica and Borbón, since they are two varieties prone to Broca and Roya. It often happens that these coffees that are famous for their quality are difficult to maintain. As the years went by, in Puerto Rico and in other producing countries, in order to reinvent themselves, they had to start creating the famous hybrids. These are coffees that are created by combining the genetics of two varieties. In Puerto Rico, Limaní and Frontón were created. Two varieties that have developed well over the years and give a very good cup. What are they made of? You'll see...
The first thing we should know is that they are only being produced in Puerto Rico because they were created here, we are their first and only laboratory.
Limaní: This variety it was created in the Limaní neighborhood of Adjuntas. It is a cross between the Timor Hybrid variety and Villa Sarchi, and it was created by the Agricultural Experimental Station of Puerto Rico. It was created with the intention of having a variety resistant to Roya, a plague that develops on the coffee leaf. Limaní was finally delivered to farmers in 1994 after several evaluations.
Frontón: On the other hand, we can say that the Frontón variety is Limani’s sister because they share the same soil where they were created. It is called Frontón because it was created in the Frontón neighborhood of Ciales, also by the Agricultural Experimental Extension. In this case it is a cross between Timor Hybrid and Caturra. The intention, like the Limaní variety, was to create a coffee resistant to the Roya plague.
As a fact and going back to the beginning of the reading, all these varieties are children of the two main Arabicas, which are Bourbon and Typica.
The genetic world of coffee is extremely complex due to the number of varieties that exist, both Arabicas and Robustas, but lets first learn of our own.
