Liberica is the trade name for Coffea liberica, a West and Central African species known in the Philippines as kapeng barako.
'Liberica' is the trade/common name for the species Coffea liberica, native to western and central Africa (Liberia to Uganda and Angola). Spanish friars brought it to Lipa, Philippines in the 1740s, where it is still sold as kapeng barako. It has naturalized in Colombia, Venezuela, the Philippines, Sumatra, Borneo and Java, and is cultivated in West Kalimantan and Johor, Malaysia. During the late-19th-century coffee leaf rust pandemic, Philippine liberica plantations survived longer than arabica and robusta before they too succumbed. Caffeine content varies widely (roughly 1.2-3.8 g/100g dry basis), and the cup is described as having fruity, jackfruit-like aromas, moderate acidity and a relatively full body.
Field notes
- i
Liberica, sold in the Philippines as kapeng barako, was the dominant coffee species there during the colonial period.
In the cup, according to guides
- BodyMoreDescribed as having a relatively full body with fruity, jackfruit-like aromas and moderate acidity.
Grown in
Sources · 1 Every sentence here was checked against a source we read. Taste notes are what guides describe, not promises about your bag. Last revised 2026-11-11.
- Coffea liberica · Wikipedia