Bourbon Pointu is one of the rarest coffees in the world. Representing less than 1% of world production, this exceptional variety (Coffea arabica var. Laurina) has a unique history closely tied to my family and to the Highlands in Dalat, Vietnam.
The Origins: Réunion Island, 18th Century
At the beginning of the 18th century, an exceptional natural mutation appeared on Réunion Island. The coffee trees suddenly produced pointed, elongated beans, radically different from classic arabicas. This mutation, known as the laurina mutation, has a unique characteristic: a caffeine content of only 0.6%, half that of a standard arabica.
This low caffeine gives Bourbon Pointu a natural sweetness and a total absence of bitterness. Its aromatic profile stands out for its floral notes, crystalline acidity and a silky body that caresses the palate.
Decline in the 20th Century
Despite its exceptional quality, Bourbon Pointu presents a major challenge: yields half those of other arabica varieties. A Bourbon Pointu tree produces on average 150 grams of green coffee a year, compared with 300 grams for a standard variety.
In the search for immediate profitability, most producers gradually abandoned this variety in favour of more productive coffees. By the end of the 20th century, Bourbon Pointu had all but disappeared. Only a few terroirs in the world still grow it: Ethiopia, New Caledonia, Réunion Island and Dalat in Vietnam.
1897-1915: Arrival in Dalat
In 1897, my family arrived in Vietnam. In 1893, Dr Alexandre Yersin had discovered the Dalat plateau during his explorations. He did not found the city, but he discovered the site of the Lang Bian plateau and gave a decisive opinion on its agricultural potential.
Before 1915, my maternal great-grandfather, Adolphe Faraut, introduced Bourbon Pointu coffee to the Highlands in Dalat. The terroir proved ideal: an altitude of 1,500 metres, cool temperatures (15-25°C), rich volcanic basalt soils, protective morning mists and a marked day/night temperature range.
Dalat had everything needed to reveal the exceptional finesse of Bourbon Pointu: the altitude slows ripening, the mists protect, the Red Lands nourish.
The Alliance with the M’Nông Chil Ethnic Group
Adolphe Faraut did not impose this crop. He persuaded the M’Nông Chil ethnic group, an indigenous people of the Dalat mountains, to join him in this project. This alliance between my family, the Faraut-Morères, and the M’Nông Chil ethnic group was never a mere economic relationship. It was a human alliance, founded on mutual respect and trust, and it still stands today.
The M’Nông Chil ethnic group brought their ancestral mastery of agroforestry: growing under a natural canopy on some sites, preserving biodiversity and respecting the cycles of the Dalat forest.
1976: The Separation
My family carried on its work into the 1970s. It was only in 1976, when staying became impossible, that they resigned themselves to leaving Vietnam. The plantations were absorbed by economic development.
An Extraordinary Loyalty
For more than three decades, from 1976 to 2007, the M’Nông Chil ethnic group preserved the memory of the exact location of the plantations and the traditional know-how of growing Bourbon Pointu. This extraordinary loyalty goes beyond agriculture: it is an act of cultural fidelity, an affirmation that human bonds transcend wars.
2007: Return and Rebirth
In 2007, I returned to the ancestral lands. The M’Nông Chil ethnic group recognised my family from old photographs and showed me the exact location of the former plantations.
From 2007 to 2015, I spent eight years of apprenticeship with the M’Nông Chil ethnic group. I settled in the village of Da Sar, a village still closed to foreigners in 2007, and I still live there today. The M’Nông Chil ethnic group passed on their traditional methods to me, which we still apply on the plantation: growing under canopy, a farming calendar in step with natural cycles, selective hand-picking, post-harvest processing and artisanal roasting.
Today: An Exceptional Coffee
Today, Morère 1897 Bourbon Pointu is recognised internationally. The project was encouraged by my friend Pierre Gagnaire, three-Michelin-star chef, as soon as I settled in Dalat. My plantation was visited by Jacques Pourcel and his team (also three stars). Our coffee was distributed by Annam Gourmet, at La Grande Épicerie de Paris.
Our production remains confidential: just a few hundred kilos a year. Hand-picked micro-lots, processed with extreme care and precisely roasted in Dalat. Every cup tells more than a century of history, the loyalty of the M’Nông Chil ethnic group and the alliance between people and nature. To learn how to reveal its full potential, discover our tasting guide.