Colombia’s C.I. Racafe & CIA S.C.A. reached the highest level of coffee supremacy winning the Gold Award for having the world’s best specialty coffee. C.I Racafe & CIA S.C.A.’s coffee outperformed more than 120 other coffee producers in winning the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s (SCAA) 2008 Roasters Guild Coffee of the Year Competition. The Silver Award went to Panama’s Hacienda La Esmerelda, which had won the previous three competitions. Volcafe Specialty Coffee of Ethiopia won the Bronze Award. The event took place at SCAA’s 20th Annual Conference & Exhibition in Minneapolis, Minn. SCAA is the world's largest coffee trade association.
During the competition, expert SCAA cuppers evaluated and ranked the world’s finest specialty coffees. More than 30 experienced judges selected the winning coffee by cupping, or thoroughly evaluating the scent and taste of each coffee sample. The judges specifically assessed six distinct attributes of the coffee samples, including: fragrance, aroma, taste, flavor, aftertaste and body.
Cupping is a systematic method of evaluating the aroma and taste of coffee and is used by growers, buyers and roasters to evaluate the quality and flavor profile of coffee. To properly gauge the taste of the hot beverage, the judges slurped and swirled a soupspoon-sized portion evenly over their palate, then spit out the sample without swallowing. By saturating as many sensory nerves as possible, cupping participants are better able to evaluate a coffee sample.
2008 Coffee of the Year Results:
1. C.I. Racafe & CIA S.C.A., Colombia
2. Hacienda La Esmeralda, Panama
3. Volcafe Specialty Coffee (Exported by Alanheri), Ethiopia
4. Sidama Coffee Farmers, Co-Op Union, Ethiopia
5. San Rafael Pacun/ Cafetalera El Tunel S.A., Guatemala
6. Agropecuaria Salfar S.A./ San Sebastian, Guatemala
7. Agoga Plantation Limited, Papua New Guinea
8. Finca La Ilusion-Café de El Salvador, El Salvador
9. Federacion Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia, Colombia
10. San Jose Ocana, Guatemala
11. Big Island Fine Coffee, Guatemala
12. Kona Coffee Plantation, Hawaii
13. Consejo Dominicano Del Café (Natura Bella), Dominican Republic
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POSTED: Sunday, May 18, 2008