SL17
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SL17 is a coffee cultivar selected by the Scott Agricultural Laboratories in Kenya during the early 20th century. While less globally famous than its counterparts SL28 and SL34, it represents the historical effort to identify and propagate high-quality, locally adapted coffee varieties that define the unique sensory profile of Kenyan coffee.
The designation 'SL' refers to the Scott Agricultural Laboratories, a research facility established by the British colonial government in Kenya between 1922 and 1944. The primary mission of this laboratory was to provide technical guidance to Kenyan farmers and to identify coffee varieties that could thrive in the region's specific environmental conditions. The resulting selections, numbered sequentially, became the foundation of the Kenyan coffee industry.
In the context of coffee botany, these selections are classified as cultivars—varieties developed through agricultural selection rather than occurring naturally in the wild. While SL28 and SL34 are widely recognized as the flagship varieties of the region, the laboratory conducted extensive testing on numerous selections to isolate traits such as yield, cup quality, and resilience. SL17 is one of these historical selections, representing the rigorous, systematic approach to agricultural research that characterized the Scott Labs era.
For farmers, the importance of these SL selections lies in their historical adaptation to the Kenyan landscape. The laboratory sought to improve the economic viability of coffee farming by selecting plants that offered consistent output and superior sensory characteristics. These varieties are deeply intertwined with the 'Kenyan profile'—a cup quality often described as intensely floral, with notes of blackcurrant, citrus, and a bright, wine-like acidity that remains highly sought after in the specialty coffee market.
For roasters and drinkers, the SL series serves as a marker of quality and origin identity. When a coffee is labeled with an SL designation, it signals a specific genetic lineage that has been cultivated for decades to produce a distinct, complex flavor profile. Understanding these varieties allows professionals to better appreciate the nuances of terroir and the historical legacy of agricultural science in East Africa.
It is important to distinguish the Scott Agricultural Laboratories of Kenya from modern commercial entities with similar names, such as the current Scott Laboratories that provides products for the wine and beverage industry. The historical SL coffee varieties are the result of mid-20th-century agronomic research, whereas modern companies using the name operate in entirely different sectors of food science and fermentation.
Today, the study of these varieties continues under the guidance of organizations like World Coffee Research and various national institutes. As the coffee industry faces the challenges of climate change and disease, the genetic diversity preserved in these historical selections remains a vital resource. Researchers analyze these cultivars to understand their resilience and to develop new, sustainable varieties that can maintain the high quality that the global market expects from Kenyan coffee.