Beverage
Tabi
C tier
Tabi is a tall Coffea arabica cultivar from Cenicafé, bred from Typica, Bourbon, and Timor Hybrid to combine traditional cup quality with coffee leaf rust resistance. Unlike many compact Catimor-type plants, Tabi retains a more classic plant architecture and is often described as closer in cup to Colombia’s historic varieties. Adoption has been more selective than Castillo because of height and management needs, but specialty-oriented farms value Tabi where rust resistance and improved flavour are both required. Washed Tabi lots can show sweetness, clarity, and moderate acidity suited to filter and espresso.
Also known as: Tabi
Track this ingredient
Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Cenicafé pursued multi-parent crosses including Timor Hybrid for rust resistance without abandoning traditional quality parents.
Parallel work on Colombia and related lines informed later quality-focused releases such as Tabi.
Cenicafé released Tabi (Typica × Bourbon × Timor Hybrid) for rust resistance and improved cup potential.
Rust outbreaks increased interest in Tabi among farms seeking alternatives to pure Caturra.
Specialty exporters highlighted Tabi lots for sweetness and cleaner profiles than early rust-resistant composites.
Tabi remained a niche quality-resistant option alongside dominant Castillo plantings.