Like wine, the taste of coffee depends on many factors. The species of the coffee bush is the most significant factor, of course, but native soil, climate, elevation and methods of harvesting and processing all affect the final taste of the coffee. Coffee isn't a bean at all: it's the seed of the coffee bush. Coffee belongs to the botanical family Rubiaceae, which has some 500 genera and over 6,000 species. Most are tropical trees and shrubs which grow in the lower storey of forests. Other members of the family include the gardenias and plants which yield quinine and other useful substances, but Coffea is by far the most important genus in the family economically. Most commercially grown coffee comes from two main species: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora. The fruit of the coffee bush, when ripe, has a thick, red, slightly bitter outer skin. The inner flesh is very sweet and surrounds the 'parchment', a thin layer that separates the sweet flesh from seeds inside - the much-prized coffee 'beans'. About 5-10% of the berries on any coffee bush contain a single, small seed rather than the normal two: these 'peaberries' (vietnamese: 'culi') usually produce a more intense flavour and are often more highly prized as a result. Arabica coffee has been enjoyed for centuries. Probably originating in the plateaux of Ethiopia, coffee first spread to the middle east then to the rest of the world. There are many varieties and cultivars of Arabica coffee, all with differing characteristics and tastes. Arabica coffee is complex and aromatic, but requires careful cultivation and is fussy about soil, climate and elevation. The coffee 'cherries' fall to the ground when ripe and so the beans must be harvested carefully as they ripen. For this reason, Arabica coffee tends to be somewhat more expensive than other varieties. Robusta (Coffea canephora var.robusta) is, as its name implies, a strong plant and can be grown under a wider variety of conditions. Robusta grows at lower altitudes and is more resistant to disease. Unlike the Arabica, the beans do not fall off the plant when ripe. These facts all contribute to a plant that is easier to cultivate, especially in poor soils and under marginal growing conditions and this has led to large quantities of mediocre or poor quality beans hitting the world commodity market, most of it finding its way into low-priced and instant coffees. Because of this, Robusta gets a bad press. However, when grown under ideal conditions and handled and processed with care, Robusta is an excellent coffee, broad, fragrant and chocolately. Robusta coffees are usually 30-40% higher in caffeine than Arabicas. Many people actually prefer good Robusta to Arabica, it is very much a question of personal taste. Robusta is also particularly good when blended with Arabicas, adding to the range and complexity of the tastes, in the same way that rye whisky is added to malt whisky to add interest and 'bite'. 'Chari' is a French name for the variety Coffea liberica 'dewevrei', and is also known as 'Excelsa' Coffee. Coffea liberica is a different species from Coffea arabica or Coffea canephora, and accounts for only about 1% of world coffee production. It is a large strong tree, up to 18 metres in height, with large leathery leaves. The beans have a bright and fruity flavor and little or no caffeine. Excelsa on its own is not usually considered to produce a 'balanced' cup of coffee, so it is blended with lower-caffeine varieties of Arabica to produce the TN Passiona low-caffeine blend. Catimor (Coffea arabica 'catimor') is an Arabica cultivar whose beans are quite bitter and sharply flavored. They are used to "punch up" the flavor of the multi-variety blended coffees such as Creation #4 Premium Culi and the House Blend. Fans of strong coffee will like the extra kick the Catimor bean provides. The secret is in the blend. With all the 'Only 100% pure Arabica beans' marketing razzmatazz that you hear all over the place, it's easy to think that Arabica is the only game in town. The truth is that, blended carefully, robusta can smooth, round, and give sweetness and weight to blends of all kinds, and together with Chari and Catimor adds a range of flavours and aromas that you simply don't get with Arabica alone. Sampler Packs containing many varieties are available so it's easy to try the tastes out for yourself! Go to Order page "[Coffee leads men] to trifle away their time, scald their chops, and spend their Money, all for a little base, black, thick, nasty, bitter, stinking, nauseous Puddle-water." - The Women's Petition Against Coffee (1674)