By Kenny Lee Wee Ting

Recently, the coffee science world has been abuzz with discoveries closely tied to us here in Malaysia. On August 8, a groundbreaking paper on Liberica coffee, Genomic Data Define Species Delimitation In Liberica Coffee With Implications For Crop Development And Conservation, was published in Nature Plants, a prestigious sub-journal of Nature.

This new research officially expands the number of recognized coffee species from 131 to 133. Remarkably, the paper’s lead author—Dr. Aaron P. Davis, the renowned coffee botanist from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew—will be in Kuching, East Malaysia, on November 28 and 30 to participate in the second Borneo Coffee Symposium. He will share his latest findings and discuss their implications for the cultivation of Liberica in Malaysia.

This marks the second edition of the Borneo Coffee Symposium since its debut in 2019. We are honored to be moderating the forum and to have been acknowledged in the published paper. The symposium will focus on cutting-edge research on climate-resilient coffee species, with a particular emphasis on Liberica varieties and their potential for cultivation in hot, lowland environments.

The event will also explore compelling questions around emerging taste aesthetics in what some have termed the “post-Arabica supremacy era”—a period many refer to as the “Fourth Wave of Coffee” in Asia.

Other esteemed attendees include Dr. Steffen Schwarz, founder of the German coffee research institute Coffee Consulate; Dr. Manuel Diaz, a fermentation specialist from Mexico; as well as coffee researchers and producers from the Philippines, and many more from Africa, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, Thailand, and across East and West Malaysia.

A few decades ago, if you walked into a local kopitiam （local eatery） in Malaysia and casually ordered a cup of kopi, chances were you were drinking coffee with some Liberica in it. This unique species of coffee tree, with leaves larger than your palm—sometimes even bigger than a fan—and fruits as plump as tiny plums, often surprises people. Its taste can carry hints of tropical fruits, or, in other cases, a bold "woody" flavour. Some love it; others steer clear.

When I first encountered specialty coffee over a decade ago, Liberica was widely dismissed as "bad coffee" by much of the specialty world. Some of the international coffee instructors we met—many of whom were judges at global competitions—would frown at the mention of Liberica, branding it as coffee that “tastes like burnt tires.”

But that perception stemmed not from the bean itself, but from how poorly it was handled post-harvest and during roasting. And of course, cultural biases played a role too. Flavour notes like “cinnamon spice” or “fermented tropical fruit” common in Liberica are often seen as defects by cuppers from temperate regions who favour berry-like acidity, citrus brightness, or floral aromatics.

Fortunately, that outdated mindset is starting to shift.

In recent years, scientists and producers have come to recognise that Liberica may be the only coffee species both climate-resilient and economically viable in the face of rising temperatures and extreme weather. Simultaneously, passionate local companies like My Liberica, Typica (豆原), Black Bean Coffee, and Earthlings Coffee have been refining Liberica processing, elevating its quality and bringing it to international stages.

For the older generation of coffee farmers in Malaysia, Liberica is simply a part of daily life. But for the younger generation of coffee professionals, it is a hidden treasure waiting to be redefined. The recent paper in Nature Plants that we mentioned earlier helps us rediscover this "old friend"—and reveals something surprising: she’s not just one species, but three entirely different ones!

From One to Three: Scientists Rewrite the Coffee Family Tree
For a long time, both the scientific community and the coffee industry believed that Liberica coffee consisted of only two varieties:

Coffea liberica var. liberica (commonly known as Liberica)
Coffea liberica var. dewevrei (commonly referred to as Excelsa)

However, over the years, scholars have debated whether these two varieties should actually be classified as distinct species. This discussion has circulated widely within coffee circles, with strong arguments on both sides.

Personally, I’ve encountered pure Excelsa trees in both Vietnam and India, and I’ve tasted both Excelsa and Liberica coffees. From my experience, the differences are striking — in tree structure, fruiting patterns, seed shape, and most noticeably, in flavor profiles. These differences are clearly visible and easily distinguishable by taste.

Now, a breakthrough study conducted by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK), in collaboration with researchers across multiple African countries, has brought clarity to this debate. Using genomic sequencing of 353 nuclear genes, alongside morphological and geographical distribution analysis, the team confirmed that what was previously grouped under “Liberica” actually consists of three separate species:

Coffea liberica (the true Liberica)
Coffea dewevrei (commonly known as Excelsa)
Coffea klainei (a lesser-known species previously thought to be synonymous with Liberica)

In other words, the coffee long referred to collectively as “Liberica” is, in fact, composed of three distinct family members — each with its own unique personality, physical characteristics, geographic origin, and environmental adaptations.

Why Is This Discovery Important?

For most people, this might feel like an archaeologist telling you that the Terracotta Warriors actually come in three different height proportions — interesting, but seemingly far removed from daily life.

However, for coffee farmers, coffee businesses, and even climate scientists, this represents a turning point that could significantly influence future cultivation strategies.

Precision in Cultivar Selection
Each species differs in leaf size, pulp thickness, yield potential, and flavour characteristics. For example, Excelsa (C. dewevrei) produces smaller fruits with thinner pulp and higher yields, making it easier to process using equipment already designed for Arabica and Robusta.
Climate Adaptability
Liberica thrives in regions with pronounced wet and dry seasons, and can even endure extended droughts. Excelsa, on the other hand, performs well in mid-elevation areas with lower annual rainfall.
Breeding Potential
The genetic divergence among the three species opens up exciting new possibilities for interspecies hybridisation and breeding for climate resilience.
Urgency of Conservation
With this new taxonomic reclassification, the true C. liberica is now known to have a native range spanning only five countries. Its habitat area has shrunk by 94.8%, suggesting it may soon need to be listed as a vulnerable species requiring conservation.

Malaysia’s Century-Long Relationship with Liberica Coffee

*In Sarawak, some indigenous farmers intercrop Liberica coffee with petai (Parkia speciosa).*

The story of Liberica in Malaysia dates back to the late 19th century. At the time, a devastating outbreak of coffee leaf rust had crippled Arabica plantations across Southeast Asia. In search of a resilient alternative, farmers turned to Coffea liberica, a species introduced from West Africa. Liberica proved to be heat- and humidity-tolerant, disease-resistant, and ideally suited for Malaysia’s lowland tropical climate.

By the mid-20th century, Liberica was widely cultivated across Johor, Sarawak, and Sabah. Unfortunately, due to its thick fruit pulp and labor-intensive processing requirements—combined with the global market’s preference for Arabica and Robusta—Liberica gradually faded into the background. It remained mostly in domestic markets and in a few traditional coffee brands.

In my own work with coffee farmers across Sarawak and many parts of Malaysia, I’ve encountered everything from century-old Liberica trees to freshly planted seedlings. I’ve tasted countless versions of both Liberica and Excelsa, each with its own unique profile. Yet many farmers still can’t clearly identify what species they’re growing, because traditionally, they’ve all simply been lumped under the name “Liberica.”

The recent scientific study has helped us clarify the coffee family tree—giving Malaysian coffee growers a clearer roadmap: what to plant, how to process and roast it, how to present it to the market, and ultimately, who to sell it to. This could mark a major turning point in how Malaysia redefines its role in the global coffee landscape.

The “Looks” and “Personalities” of the Three Coffee Siblings

According to the paper, the differences between the three species are quite clear:

Liberica (Coffea liberica)
Medium to large leaves, with large round to oval fruits. The pulp is thick (ranging from 4 to 9.5 mm), and the seeds are relatively large (average size: 12.6 × 8.4 mm). This species thrives in hot, lowland regions with high rainfall.
Excelsa (Coffea dewevrei)
Features even broader leaves, a high number of flowers per node, and overall higher yields. The pulp and parchment layers are thin, and the seeds are smaller (average size: 9.3 × 6.6 mm). It is known for its bright acidity and performs well in mid-altitude areas with lower annual rainfall.
Klainei (Coffea klainei)
Morphologically similar to Liberica but has a simpler floral structure with unbranched inflorescences—each bearing only 1 to 3 flowers. The fruits are elongated. This species is native to Central and West Africa and remains largely untapped for commercial cultivation.

What Does This Mean for Malaysia?

For Malaysia’s coffee industry, this rediscovery of what we’ve long called Liberica—a species we’ve been cultivating for over a century—is a golden opportunity for rebranding and market differentiation. Here are a few key directions we could explore:

Regional Specialisation Between Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia
Lowland regions with high rainfall can focus on developing bold, tropical-fruited Liberica profiles. Meanwhile, hilly or drier areas could experiment with Excelsa, cultivating a new generation of coffees with crisp, bright acidity and a refreshing character.
Educating the Export Market
It’s time to tell international buyers that “Malaysian Liberica” is no longer just a single flavour profile—it now represents diversity, climate resilience, and ecological adaptation.
Conservation and Storytelling-Driven Marketing
Highlighting the rarity and conservation value of Coffea liberica can help position it as a premium, limited-supply offering, appealing to specialty buyers who are willing to pay more for something unique and endangered.

In fact, more than two years ago, we began collaborating with the Sarawak Department of Agriculture Research Centre to introduce a batch of Excelsa seeds. These are now undergoing trial cultivation across several regions in Sarawak. We hope to evaluate their compatibility with local climates and soil conditions in the coming years.

From Science to Soil: The Challenges of Implementation

Still, there’s a long journey from genetic discoveries to practical adoption in farmers’ fields.
Farmers need proper tools and training to identify which coffee species they’re actually growing. Government bodies and research institutions must step in to provide germ-plasm resources and establish experimental plots. Meanwhile, the market needs time to adjust to this new diversity in flavour and species.

The SCA’s new CVA cupping method is similar to Coffee Consulate’s cupping sheet: it uses a more open, descriptive approach to characterise coffees, which helps uncover the flavour potential of different coffee species.

In fact, several academics have privately shared with me that Liberica, having been overlooked for so long, is likely still hiding more surprises. At least seven other coffee species currently lumped under “Liberica” could eventually be reclassified as distinct species in future research.

In the specialty coffee world, we also need to rethink the dominant evaluation system—one heavily shaped by Arabica-centric flavour aesthetics. Relying too much on outdated expectations may become a barrier to appreciating the potential of other species.

After all, when we say these are different species, it’s no different from saying strawberries and mangoes are different fruits. It makes little sense to judge them by the same scoring sheet.

German coffee expert Dr. Steffen Schwarz once offered a vivid analogy:

“If you use a strawberry scoring sheet to evaluate a mango, of course it’s going to be a bad strawberry. But the truth is—it’s not a strawberry.”

For me, this is an incredibly exciting moment. Over the past few years, we’ve been working on Liberica education and quality improvement here in Sarawak. Now, we finally have the scientific backing to tell a more complete story—and a stronger reason to convince the world.

“Malaysian Liberica isn’t just one kind of coffee—it’s an entire forest waiting to be discovered.”

More research on Liberica and its variants is on the way, and we’ll be sharing those insights as they unfold. If you’d like to be part of this fascinating journey, don’t miss the upcoming Borneo Coffee Symposium at the end of the year. You can scan the QR code at the bottom of the poster to join the forum and related events.

In the next article, I’ll focus on the historical development of coffee cultivation in Sarawak.

Notes：This article is translated from the original Chinese piece published in the feature section of Nanyang Siang Pau (南洋商報), dated September 11, 2025.

The New Coffee Frontier: Liberica’s Hidden Diversity Unveiled