A record breaking 11 coffees scored over 90 points at the 2024 edition of the Cup of Excellence competition in Costa Rica.
“Life happens, coffee helps. But a Cup of Excellence coffee from Costa Rica? It’s like having a superhero in your cup,” says Noelia Villalobos, Executive Director of the Specialty Coffee Association of Costa Rica.
The competition in Costa Rica had three categories: traditional washed coffees; semi washed, honey, and naturally processed coffees; and experimental.
“The coffees were outstanding and the categorisation really helped us understand more of their flavour profiles. It made the cuppings more complex and supported farmers in choosing which of their best coffees to enter,” says Dylan Aguilera of Aguilera Brothers, a member of the Costa Rica national jury which scored the first three rounds.
Jurors found the washed coffees to have “bright acidity, floral aroma and were loaded with fruity notes”, while the honey and naturals were described to possess “silky body, ample mixtures of tropical and dried fruits, and leaned towards caramelised sugars”.
The experimental coffees, which invited producers to push the boundaries, showcased berries with “well-balanced acidity, a long after taste, vanilla notes, brown sugar, and caramel”.
The honey and naturally processed coffees proved to be the most competitive of the three categories, with all 16 Cup of Excellence winners scoring over 88 points.
Cup of Excellence Executive Director Erwin Mierisch praised the categorisation system for making the competition more inclusive.
“Categorisation also allowed a lower altitude producer from Turrialba to showcase his coffee and receive a national winning score of 87 in this highly competitive honey-natural category, thus opening the door for huge opportunities for farmers in lesser known regions,” he says.
Bidding will begin on 25 July, when interested parties may purchase coffee from the 30 Cup of Excellence winners.
The 10 national winners, with scores ranging from 86.62 to 88.15, will be sold between 22-26 July, with the all honey-naturals being sold during the same time.
Sample boxes are limited, and roasters are advised to order before 26 June.
