What is the Anacafe 14 coffee varietal?

Anacafe 14 is a cultivar developed by Anacafe - Guatemala's national coffee association - and released in 2014. It's a selection from Catimor-Pacamara crosses, bred specifically to resist coffee leaf rust while retaining some of the cup quality associated with the Pacamara parent.

Its development was a direct response to the devastating CLR outbreaks that swept Central America from 2012 onwards - wiping out significant portions of harvest in some countries. Traditional quality varietals like Bourbon and Caturra have no meaningful rust resistance. Producers needed an alternative that wouldn't simply trade cup quality for survival.

At higher altitudes in Guatemala, Anacafe 14 can produce complex, well-structured coffees - a notable achievement given that many rust-resistant hybrids have historically been associated with flat or woody cups. It's not a replacement for Bourbon at its best, but it's a serious attempt at solving a serious problem.