A relatively young varietal. It's true potential as a specialty coffee has yet to be accessed, but its pest resistance and it success in Brazil’s COE competition show positive signs.
- Varietal: Icatu
- Related to: C.arabica and c. canephora
- Origin: Brazil
- Grows best at: 800 ft and higher
- Type: Hybrid
- Prevalent in: Brazil
- Predominant Colour: Red and Yellow
- Fruit size: Large
- Leaf Characteristics: No noticeable traits
- Plant Characteristics: Tall plant
A relatively young varietal. It's true potential as a specialty coffee has yet to be accessed, but its pest resistance and it success in Brazil’s COE competition show positive signs.
There are lots of sub varietals around icatu, most of them just sub variations. These hybrids are the result of repeated backcrossing of arabica with robusta hybrids to arabica cultivars with Mundo Novo and Caturra, and is by far the most complicated of the varietals. It has a strong resistance to leaf rust, and rootknot neratodes.
With DNA in Iapar 59 and others, this varietal came to the forefront in 1985 in Brazil, but was officially released in 1993.
Typical characteristics: Low acidity, medium to full body, sweet dark chocolate taste with a hint of citric aroma.