{"id":66345,"date":"2026-04-07T08:19:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T00:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1zpresso.coffee\/?p=66345"},"modified":"2026-04-07T08:19:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T00:19:17","slug":"cup-of-excellence-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1zpresso.coffee\/jp\/cup-of-excellence-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Cup of Excellence: How the World\u2019s Best Coffees Are Selected"},"content":{"rendered":"

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When you see \u00a0\u201cCOE\u201d or \u201cCup of Excellence\u201d on a bag of coffee, it signals more than just quality. It represents one of the most rigorous and respected competitions in the specialty coffee world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cup of Excellence (COE) coffees are award-winning lots selected through a multi-stage blind tasting process. These coffees are recognized as some of the finest produced in their origin for that harvest year, often achieving exceptional prices and global attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this guide, you\u2019ll learn how the Cup of Excellence competition works and what makes these coffees so sought after.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What Is Cup of Excellence?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Cup of Excellence is an international coffee competition established in 1999, with its first event held in <\/span>\u30d6\u30e9\u30b8\u30eb<\/span><\/a>. The program was created to identify outstanding coffees, reward producers fairly, and increase global visibility for coffee-growing regions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The competition is managed by the Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing transparency and excellence in the coffee industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Cup of Excellence (COE) online auction system serves as a transparent global platform connecting producers with vetted, professional buyers to secure top-tier coffee lots. This mechanism not only highlights the quality of the coffee but also ensures the majority of proceeds return to the farmers, establishing a trusted market for excellence.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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How the Cup of Excellence Competition Works<\/b><\/h2>\n

Cup of Excellence <\/span>competition <\/span>is known for its strict, multi-round evaluation system. <\/span>It employs a strict blind cupping protocol where multiple judges repeatedly score each sample to ensure consistency and fairness. Below is the detailed breakdown of the judging process:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Preselection Round<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Producers submit their coffee lots, which are coded for blind tasting by an independent auditing firm. Following an ACE Calibration Session to align scoring standards among all cuppers, the National Jury evaluates the entries. Only the top 150 coffees scoring 86 points or higher advance to the next stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

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    1. National Jury – Round 2<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The advancing coffees are re-coded and blind-tasted by the National Jury. Only the top 90 coffees scoring 86 points or higher move forward.<\/span><\/p>\n

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      1. National Jury – Round 3<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Coffees are re-coded once again for a second round of blind evaluation by the National Jury. Only the top 40 coffees scoring 86 points or higher qualify for the international stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

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        1. International Jury – Rounds 4 & 5<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          A panel of 16 to 24 international sensory experts (probably including 1\u20132 local judges) evaluates the remaining lots.<\/span><\/p>\n