St Helena Coffee: Napoleon’s Island Coffee
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St Helena is a speck of volcanic rock in the South Atlantic, best known as the island where Napoleon spent his final exile. It also grows one of the world’s rarest coffees. St Helena coffee comes from a Bourbon strain said to descend from seeds brought from the Yemeni port of Mocha in 1733, and it is produced in such small quantities that it has sold in London for around £60 per 100 g. Napoleon reportedly praised it, which helped make it briefly fashionable in France.
Here is the story behind the island’s coffee, what it tastes like and whether the legend matches the cup.
Key takeaways
- Coffee seeds from Mocha, Yemen, were planted on St Helena in 1733. The local strain is known today as Green Tipped Bourbon.
- Napoleon, exiled on the island from 1815 until his death in 1821, is said to have praised the coffee; no reliable direct quote survives in the sources we checked.
- In 1851 coffee from the Bamboo Hedge estate won an award at the Great Exhibition in London.
- The industry faded, was revived from 1994 and remains tiny: roughly 5 tonnes a year from the main producer.
- Reviewers describe a clean, floral, fruity cup, distinctive but not as intense as top East African coffees.
In this article
- What is St Helena coffee?
- Napoleon and the coffee legend
- Timeline
- What it tastes like
- Is it worth the price?
- FAQ
What is St Helena coffee?
St Helena is a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, roughly between Brazil and southern Africa. Its coffee is Arabica of the Bourbon family, known today as Green Tipped Bourbon.
According to the island’s own history, the seeds arrived in 1733 from Mocha in Yemen, the historic coffee port that gave its name to mocha coffee. One account credits a Captain Philips of the East India Company. Coffee critic Kenneth Davids notes that this origin story is widely repeated but unverified. Still, the beans look the part: small, oval and deeply creased, reminiscent of some Ethiopian coffees.
The crop is processed by the washed method, which suits the delicate beans and helps give a clean, mild cup.
Napoleon and the coffee legend
After his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to St Helena in 1815 and lived there until his death in 1821. The story goes that he considered the island’s coffee the best he had ever tasted. After his death the coffee enjoyed a short burst of popularity in Paris.
How much of this is true? The praise is widely reported but, in the sources we reviewed, not backed by a documented quote. It is best treated as a legend with a plausible core: an exiled emperor with time on his hands, on an island that grew coffee, appreciating a good cup. The marketing value, though, is undeniable. Napoleon’s name has followed St Helena coffee ever since.
Timeline
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1733 | Coffee seeds from Mocha, Yemen, are planted on the island |
| 1815–1821 | Napoleon in exile on St Helena; dies there in 1821 |
| 1820s | Brief fashion for St Helena coffee in Paris after Napoleon’s death |
| 1839 | London merchants describe it as of very superior quality and flavor |
| 1851 | Bamboo Hedge estate coffee wins an award at the Great Exhibition, Crystal Palace |
| Later years | Flax becomes the island’s main export; coffee fades |
| 1994 | David Henry returns to revive the industry at Bamboo Hedge |
| Late 1990s | About 18 acres and 20,000 trees; around 3 tonnes exported a year |
| 2008 | Setbacks leave only about two acres productive |
| 2015 | Sold at Harrods in London at £60 per 100 g |
| Today | Solomon & Company produces about 5 tonnes a year from Bamboo Hedge and Wrangham’s; Rosemary Gate is another plantation |
What St Helena coffee tastes like
The island’s own producers describe a smooth, mild cup. In a 2013 review, Kenneth Davids of Coffee Review found a sample rich, floral and wine-toned, with notes he compared to night-blooming flowers, Concord grape and peach, and a clean, balanced structure that reminded him of a very good Rwandan coffee.
That floral, fruity side is typical of the Bourbon family. If you enjoy East African coffees, you will find St Helena familiar, just quieter.
| St Helena | Typical Kenyan | Typical Ethiopian natural | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Variety | Green Tipped Bourbon | SL28, SL34 and others | Local landraces |
| Process | Washed | Usually washed | Natural (dried in the cherry) |
| Style | Clean, floral, gentle fruit | Bright, juicy, citrus and berry | Fruity, sweet, heavier body |
| Availability | Very rare | Widely available | Widely available |
Is it worth the price?
That depends on what you are buying. If you want the most intense flavor per dollar, probably not: Davids himself wrote that some Ethiopian and Kenyan coffees he tasted that season had more sensory impact, and that two earlier St Helena samples had not impressed him. If you are a curious coffee lover who enjoys history, rarity and a clean, delicate cup, it is a memorable experience, provided it is freshly and carefully roasted.
Other famous island coffees raise the same question. Our guides to Jamaica Blue Mountain and Kona coffee look at how rarity and reputation shape price.
The Yemen connection
If St Helena’s Bourbon really did come from Mocha, it is a living link to the early coffee trade, when Yemen was the world’s main source. Read more about that history in our article on Yemeni coffee.
Similar cups you can brew today
We do not sell St Helena coffee, but you can explore its floral, fruity Bourbon character. Our Tanzania Mbeya is grown from Bourbon and Kent varieties and offers pear, jasmine and strawberry notes in a medium-light roast. Kenya Nyeri is bright with orange, lemon and floral notes, and our Ethiopia Natural brings milk chocolate, ripe fruit and caramel from heirloom varieties.
St Helena coffee FAQ
Did Napoleon really love St Helena coffee?
It is widely reported that he praised it as the best he had tasted, but we could not find a documented quote. Treat it as a well-known legend.
Why is St Helena coffee so expensive?
Tiny production, high costs on a remote island and strong demand driven by its history and rarity.
What variety is St Helena coffee?
Green Tipped Bourbon, an Arabica said to descend from seeds brought from Mocha, Yemen, in 1733.
Where can I buy St Helena coffee?
Through a small number of specialist roasters and retailers, mostly in the UK. Supply is limited and varies by harvest.
Sources
- St Helena Coffee, Saint Cooks.
- Hype Meets the Cup: St. Helena Sandy Bay Estate, Kenneth Davids, Coffee Review, 2013.
Facts checked in October 2026.
Keep reading: Yemeni coffee · Coffee varieties · Single origins