This article discusses about Cup of Excellence, which is a strict competition that selects the very best coffee produced in that country for that particular year. These winning coffees are chosen by a selected group of national and international cuppers and are cupped at least five different times during the competition process. The final winners are awarded the prestigious Cup of Excellence® and sold to the highest bidder during an internet auction.
Coffee, Coffee, Coffee..
The world produced 6,685,000 metric tons of coffee 2005. There are four cultivated species of coffee in a world, namely Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora, Coffea liberica, Coffea esliaca. The first two are the most common ones. Coffee liberica and Coffea esliaca are rare, which are only cultivated in Africa. Arabica coffee and Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) are the base of the most commercial coffee blends.
The price average of coffee in 1997 was 3USD for 1lb of coffee. The average price for the same amount of coffee in 2007 was 1USD. In 1988 the fair-trade labeling was created in order to ensure better price for coffee producers for our daily cup of coffee. 1998 was turmoil time for coffee. There was a lack of interest of Brazilian coffee among the biggest roasters and buyers. Things weren’t looking good, so small group of people held tasting of best available coffee blends and the Cup of Excellence was born. The Cup of Excellence is a competition which selects best coffee blend for each country once a year. All Countries are from South America.
Tasting Three Blends of the Cup of Excellence
And now we get down to business. I really do enjoy my cup of coffee. During the last two weeks I have tasted three different Cup of Excellence coffee blends. I can tell you that all of them are really absolutely good blends.
The first one was Brazil Fazenda Santa Terezinha, the 2006 winner of Brazil. The blend is sweet and smooth. Aroma is fresh and bit of fruitiness in it, kind of coffee you want to treat yourself after hard week. I can really recommend this coffee. Next one was Costa Rica Libano, the 2007 winner of Costa Rica. This blend has very clear taste. The taste is totally different from the first one. It has a well balanced taste with a hint of citrus and vanilla in it. This is coffee demands good company. It is perfect after dinner beverage with some nice dark chocolates. I would say this is not all-round delicacy but more after dinner and special occasions blend. Third one in my row was Guatemala el planetar y anexos, the 2007 winner of Guatemala. It is very unique in its own way. Yet smooth and polite taste. You’ll find orange and honey in well balanced texture. It has very nice aromas. This coffee has a place in special occasions with your loved ones.
Selecting the Best Blend of the Cup of Excellence
All of three coffees in here are superb quality, but if I had to pick just one, it is definitely the Brasil Fazenda Santa Terezinha. Please don’t get me wrong. All these blends are very good and have a time and a place to give us a nice experience in the world of coffee.
A good thing about the Cup of Excellence coffees is that it is a mark of good quality. And of fact that growers can get their products to markets is a good thing. A minor thing is that only South American countries belong to that group. I would like to see the Cup of Excellence as a global competition where growers round the world give their products to the jury. But I hope that the Cup of Excellence will keep up the good work that they have done so far.
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Cup of Excellence coffees are extremely prized coffees!! You are lucky to have had the chance to sample some of them!!!
dave