Silent Springs – Tunnel-Grown Laurina – Lot 02 – NaturalLaurina - Natural

This syrupy, sweet, and slightly rummy coffee is the kind of cup we’d happily reach for after dinner. The late-in-the-day and into-the-evening drinkability of this coffee is made even more possible thanks to its unique genetic makeup—the Laurina variety has 50% less caffeine than typical Arabica coffees.

This is the second Laurina lot we’re offering from Silent Springs, a farm in the rugged backcountry of Moorpark, California. The farm grows coffee inside tunnels, a technique borrowed from Ventura County’s berry growers. These tunnels help regulate growing conditions while protecting the plants from coastal winds and occasional frosts.

Laurina is a rare coffee varietal known for its naturally low caffeine content—about half that of standard Arabica. A mutation of the Bourbon variety, it was first identified on Réunion Island, a French territory. Initially called “Bourbon Pointu” for its pointed beans, it has since been referred to as “Leroy” (from le roi, meaning “the king” in French) and “Laurina” (a reference to the laurel tree, which it resembles). Laurina has long been favored by dignitaries, including Louis XV, Winston Churchill, and French President Jacques Chirac.

For this lot, cherries were carefully picked at peak ripeness, naturally fermented in fruit for two days, and dried for 20 days—both outdoors on African beds and in our climate-controlled drying room.