Indian Coffee Varieties: A Roaster’s Guide to Arabica and Robusta Cultivars
Variety designation on an Indian green coffee bag matters more than many roasters realise. Unlike origins where a handful of varieties dominate and are well-documented globally – Ethiopian heirlooms, Kenyan SL28 and SL34, Colombian Castillo – Indian coffee varieties are developed by a single research institute, carry overlapping naming conventions, and have performance characteristics that are not widely explained in trade-facing literature.
The result is that most Indian green coffee reaches roasters without a variety designation at all, or with a name like S795 or SLN-9 that provides no context for what it means. This guide covers every significant Indian Arabica and Robusta variety – where it came from, what it is, and what it produces in the cup.
A Note on Naming
Before covering individual varieties, the naming system requires explanation because it is a source of confusion even among experienced buyers.
All commercially released Indian coffee varieties are developed by the Central Coffee Research Institute, or CCRI, established in Chikmagalur in 1925. CCRI uses the designation SLN (Selection) followed by a number for its official releases. However, the same varieties are referred to differently across the trade:
- SLN-3, S795, SL795, S-795, Selection 795, and SLN.795 all refer to the same variety
- SLN-9, S9, SLN 9, Selection 9, and Sln. 9 all refer to the same variety
- SLN-12 and Cauvery refer to the same variety
- SLN-13 and Chandragiri refer to the same variety
When evaluating Indian green coffee, a roaster may encounter any of these naming conventions depending on the producer, exporter, or importer. They are not different varieties. They are different labelling conventions for the same material.
Arabica Varieties
Kent
Kent is the oldest named variety in Indian coffee cultivation and the foundation of the Indian Arabica breeding programme. It is a Typica-derived selection discovered in the early 20th century by A.F. Kent on Doddengooda Estate in Mysore. Selected specifically because it showed partial resistance to coffee leaf rust – at a time when the same rust epidemic that had destroyed Ceylon’s coffee industry decades earlier continued to threaten South Indian estates – Kent became the first commercially useful rust-resistant Arabica cultivar.
Why it matters historically: Kent was distributed to farmers across India and parts of East Africa following its identification. It is the genetic ancestor of S795, India’s most widely planted Arabica variety. The varieties known as Kent, Jackson, Coorg, and Mysore – all from the same region of South India in the early 20th century – are also likely the ancestors of SL28 and SL34 in Kenya, two of the most celebrated specialty varieties in the world. When a roaster cups an SL28 from a Kenyan farm, they are drinking something genetically connected to an estate in Mysore.
Current status: Kent’s rust resistance has eroded over time as new rust strains evolved. CCRI no longer recommends it as a disease-resistant option and it has been largely superseded by S795, Selection 9, and Chandragiri in commercial planting. It survives on older estates where original trees remain and has not been replanted.
Cup profile: Classic Typica character. Gentle, balanced, mild sweetness, clean finish. Not complex by modern specialty standards but consistent and crowd-pleasing. Smooth body, mild acidity, no pronounced single note.
Where to find it: Old-growth trees on established estates in Coorg and Chikmagalur. Rarely labelled as Kent on export documentation. More likely to appear in an older estate’s lot without variety designation.
S795 (SLN-3)
S795 is India’s most widely planted Arabica variety, accounting for 25 to 30% of the country’s Arabica acreage. It was developed at the Balehonnur Coffee Research Station by R.L. Narasimhaswamy through a cross between S288 – an interspecific hybrid of Coffea arabica and Coffea liberica – and Kent. Released in 1945 to 1946, it has been in continuous commercial production for nearly 80 years.
The genetics: S288 contributes the body-forward, structured character that runs through much of Indian Arabica. Coffea liberica genetics – the same species responsible for the bold, woody character of Liberica coffee – entered the Indian Arabica gene pool through S288 and persist in S795. This is an unusual genetic combination globally and is one of the reasons S795 cups differently from Bourbon, Typica, or Ethiopian varieties at equivalent altitudes. The Liberica influence adds body and structure that pure Arabica parentage does not produce.
Cup profile: The default Indian Arabica profile. Chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit as the baseline. Medium body, balanced acidity, structured and consistent. Subtly complex with spice and occasional mocha notes. Does not have the brightness of Selection 9 or the high-altitude intensity of Chandragiri, but is the most versatile Indian Arabica for roasters who need range across roast levels and brew methods. Performs well from light to medium-dark without losing its core character.
Where to find it: Almost everywhere Indian specialty Arabica is grown. Most Chikmagalur coffee, labelled or not, is predominantly S795. Widely planted in Coorg’s Somwarpet Taluk, the Nilgiris, and other Arabica regions. S795 also appears in significant volumes in Indonesia under the name Jember, where it is similarly the dominant commercial Arabica.
What it tells a roaster: When a bag says S795, you are getting India’s most documented and reliable Arabica profile. The lot quality depends on altitude, processing, and freshness – the variety itself is a known quantity.
Selection 9 (SLN-9)
Selection 9 is a cross between Tafarikela, an Ethiopian Arabica collection, and Hybrido de Timor. Tafarikela is a landrace variety from the Kaffa region of Ethiopia – the same geographic origin as Arabica coffee itself. The cross introduced Ethiopian genetic diversity into the Indian Arabica programme and produced a variety with a noticeably different cup character from the Liberica-influenced S795 line.
The genetics: The Hybrido de Timor parent – a natural hybrid of Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora found on the island of Timor – contributes disease resistance, particularly against coffee leaf rust. The Tafarikela parent contributes the cup character: brightness, aromatics, and the complexity that Ethiopian heirloom varieties are known for globally. Selection 9 inherited both – disease resistance from the Timor Hybrid and cup quality from the Ethiopian lineage.
Cup profile: Brighter and more aromatic than S795. Citrus-forward with a floral tendency and a cleaner, lighter finish. The Ethiopian genetics show most clearly at high altitude – Selection 9 from Somwarpet or the Nilgiris at 1,200 to 1,400 metres will show more pronounced brightness and aromatics than the same variety grown at 800 metres. Brown sugar sweetness, good acidity, balanced body. The variety most likely to show fruit notes in a well-processed Indian Arabica lot.
Where to find it: Nilgiris (documented at Aadhimalai FPO), BR Hills (Black Baza FPO network at 1,400 metres), Palani Hills, and high-altitude Coorg estates. Badra Estates in Salem, Tamil Nadu is documented as one of India’s most internationally recognised Selection 9 producers, appearing in international green buyer catalogues as a benchmark for Indian Arabica quality.
What it tells a roaster: When a bag says Selection 9, expect more acidity and aromatics than the S795 baseline. Roast lighter to preserve the variety’s character. This is India’s most versatile specialty Arabica for roasters serving a light-roast or filter-focused market.
Chandragiri (SLN-13)
Chandragiri is India’s most recently released major commercial Arabica variety, developed at CCRI over 21 years of research beginning approximately in 1986 and released commercially in 2007. It is a cross between Villa Sarchi – a compact, wind-resistant Costa Rican dwarf Arabica, itself a natural Bourbon mutation – and Hybrido de Timor.
The genetics: Villa Sarchi determines the plant architecture: compact bush with shorter branches and smaller, thicker leaves. Better adapted to high winds at elevation than the tall, vigorous S795. Hybrido de Timor contributes near-complete rust resistance – 95 to 98% resistance – the highest of any Indian Arabica variety, making it particularly suited to the high-humidity, disease-pressure environments of the highest growing elevations.
Bean quality: Chandragiri produces a high proportion of AA-grade beans – the largest screen size in Indian Arabica grading – making it a natural fit for specialty and premium export lots. Lot documentation that specifies Chandragiri often signals a producer who understands variety-level quality differentiation and is aiming at the specialty market.
Cup profile: Clean and structured. Mild brightness, nutty-tangy character, good body. Less aromatic than Selection 9 but more complex than S795 at equivalent elevations. At 1,500 to 1,800 metres in the Nilgiris, Chandragiri produces a distinctly different cup from what the same variety achieves at 1,000 metres – altitude amplifies the variety’s complexity in a way that makes it one of the more altitude-sensitive cultivars in the Indian Arabica portfolio.
Where to find it: High-altitude blocks in the Nilgiris (documented at 1,800 metres in the Frogmouth lot), BR Hills, Palani Hills, and newer high-altitude plantings in Coorg. Increasingly planted on estates above 1,200 metres where disease pressure makes it the practical choice.
What it tells a roaster: Chandragiri at altitude is the closest Indian Arabica comes to the brightness and structural complexity of East African or high-altitude Central American lots. Evaluate at light roast before making sourcing decisions.
Cauvery (SLN-12, Catimor)
Cauvery is India’s commercial volume Arabica variety – the highest-yielding, most widely distributed Arabica in the country after S795. It is a cross between Caturra, a compact high-yielding natural Bourbon mutation from Brazil, and Hybrido de Timor. The same cross is known globally as Catimor and appears across Central America, Southeast Asia, and Africa under various names.
The genetics: Caturra contributes compact plant architecture, high yield, and Bourbon-lineage cup quality. Hybrido de Timor contributes rust resistance and the Robusta genetics that give Catimor-lineage varieties their characteristic body and disease tolerance. The Robusta heritage in Cauvery’s genetic background is why the variety cups differently from pure Arabica lines like Kent or Typica-derived S795.
Cup profile: Full-bodied, chocolate and spice forward, above-average bean grades. Less nuanced than Selection 9 or Chandragiri at equivalent altitudes but reliable and consistent across diverse growing conditions. Well-suited to espresso and milk-based brewing where body and chocolate character are primary requirements. Often described as the most accessible Indian Arabica for roasters who need a predictable profile rather than a complex single origin.
Where to find it: Widely distributed across all major Indian coffee districts at diverse elevations. Common on commercial estates in Coorg, Chikmagalur, and Wayanad where yield efficiency is prioritised. Less commonly labelled by variety name than S795 or Selection 9.
Robusta Varieties
Peridinia (Old Robusta / Peradeniya)
Peridinia is the oldest Robusta variety in India – the original introduction from the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, Ceylon, in the early 19th century following the coffee leaf rust collapse of the 1870s. Also referred to as Old Robusta or Peradeniya in scientific literature, it is the founding population of commercial Robusta cultivation in the Western Ghats.
Status: Peridinia was not formally selected or bred – it is the material that arrived from Ceylon and established itself on Indian estates. Over time, S274 and CxR were developed as higher-yielding alternatives, and Peridinia planting has declined. The trees that exist today are primarily old-growth – some over a century old on established estates. They are not being replaced at scale.
Cup profile: The most distinctive of India’s Robusta varieties. Documented as chocolate and malt with bright citrus notes – a profile different from both S274 and CxR. The citrus brightness is unusual in Robusta and is the characteristic that makes Peridinia lots genuinely interesting to specialty roasters. When processed as honey or natural, the combination of chocolate, malt, and citrus produces a cup that does not fit the standard Indian Robusta profile.
Where to find it: Old-growth trees on established Coorg estates, particularly in Siddapur and other parts of Virajpet Taluk. Rarely labelled by variety name in the commodity market. Specialty producers who separate Peridinia blocks are a small group. The Riverside Red Honey Robusta lot sourced by India Coffee Company is Peridinia.
What it tells a roaster: A labelled Peridinia lot signals that the producer has separated old-growth variety material from their commercial harvest and processed it with intention. This is the rarest Indian Robusta variety designation in the specialty market.
S274
S274 is the first formal Robusta selection released by the Indian Coffee Research Station, released in the late 1940s. It was selected from the Peridinia/Old Robusta population for improved yield and consistency, and became the dominant commercial Robusta planting in India through the second half of the 20th century.
Cup profile: Full-bodied, rich, with chocolate, caramel, nut, and spice character. This is the variety most commonly associated with South Indian filter coffee and the traditional Indian Robusta profile that roasters use in espresso blends for body and crema. Reliable, consistent, and season-to-season stable. Not the most complex variety but the most trusted commercial option.
Where to find it: Widely planted across Coorg, Chikmagalur, and Wayanad. The dominant Robusta variety on most commercial estates. Commonly graded and sold without variety designation as Karnataka Robusta or Coorg Robusta.
CxR (SLN-6, Congensis x Robusta)
CxR is an interspecific hybrid – a cross between Coffea canephora (Robusta) and Coffea congensis, a wild species from the Congo basin. It was developed at CCRI specifically for higher yield than Peridinia and S274 while maintaining cup quality and disease resistance. CxR has become the most widely planted commercial Robusta in Karnataka and is the variety behind most Indian Robusta green coffee traded internationally.
The genetics: The Coffea congensis parentage makes CxR unusual. Congensis is a wild species adapted to the lowland Congo basin – different from both the Arabica-adjacent Coffea arabica and the standard Robusta Coffea canephora. The cross introduces genetic material from outside the standard Robusta breeding pool and is one of the reasons CxR performs differently in the cup from Vietnamese or African commodity Robusta grown at lower altitudes.
Cup profile: Bold, full-bodied, low acidity, high crema production. Chocolate and nuts at the base with an intense aroma. Soft and neutral compared to harsher low-altitude commodity Robusta. The variety most commonly seen on specialty roaster pages as “Indian Robusta” when a variety designation is given. Performs best in espresso blends, South Indian filter, and Vietnamese-style filter where body and intensity are the primary cup requirements.
Where to find it: Coorg (all five taluks), Chikmagalur, Wayanad. The most common Robusta in Indian specialty sourcing catalogues. The Sandalkad Robusta CxR Washed lot sourced by India Coffee Company is this variety.
What it tells a roaster: CxR at altitude – 800 to 1,200 metres in Coorg or Wayanad – is a different product from CxR or generic Robusta at 200 to 400 metres in Vietnam or West Africa. The altitude and shade-grown conditions of the Western Ghats produce a cleaner, more structured CxR than commodity Robusta benchmarks suggest.
What Variety Tells You and What It Does Not
Variety is one input into cup quality, not the only one. A Selection 9 lot at 900 metres processes as natural without careful management will not produce the bright, aromatic profile the variety is known for. A Kent lot from old-growth trees on a Coorg estate at 1,200 metres, washed and rested properly, can be more interesting in the cup than a poorly managed Selection 9 at the same altitude.
The practical hierarchy for evaluating Indian green coffee: altitude first, then processing documentation, then variety, then freshness. Variety is meaningful within a comparable altitude and processing context. Across different growing conditions, it is one variable among several.
What variety designation does tell you, reliably, is the producer’s level of engagement. A lot labelled by variety – Peridinia, Selection 9, Chandragiri – comes from a producer who has separated their planting blocks, managed the harvest by variety, and documented the material. That level of attention correlates with quality at the processing stage even before you cup the coffee.
India Coffee Company sources variety-designated lots from partner farms in Coorg, Wayanad, BR Hills, the Nilgiris, and the Palani Hills. Current lots include Peridinia Robusta and CxR Robusta from Coorg. To enquire about availability, use the wholesale enquiry form.
