 There are two main commercially-grown species of coffee tree, Coffee canephora (robusta coffee) and Coffea arabica (arabica coffee).
Robusta coffee accounts for around 40% of world production and is characterised by an "earthy" taste. This makes robustas most suitable for use in instant coffee and as filler coffee in roast blends.
The best arabicas are characterised by an "acid" taste that is highly valued by manufacturers of premium quality roast coffee.
A well-processed washed coffee will also obtain a premium over a sun-dried bean.
A much higher proportion of arabica coffees are washed compared to robustas, although arabicas from the world’s largest producer of coffee, Brazil, are almost entirely sun-dried.
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