Nicaragua 2026

Washed Process

In the washed process, the coffee cherry's fruit is fully removed before the bean is dried. This method highlights the bean's intrinsic character and the terroir of the farm.

• Clean, bright cup with pronounced acidity
• Clarity of flavor allows the variety and origin to shine
• Lighter body compared to other processing methods

Natural & Honey Processes

This category brings together two methods that both retain some or all of the coffee cherry's fruit during drying, producing richer, sweeter cup profiles.

• Natural: Whole cherries are dried with the fruit fully intact, developing intense fruity flavors and a heavy body
• Honey: The skin is removed but some mucilage is left on the bean, creating a balance of sweetness and complexity between washed and natural

Cup of Excellence International Jury

A panel of experienced professional cuppers from around the world who travel to origin countries to blind-cup and score the top lots selected by the National Jury.

Jurors must:

• Be a skilled cupper adhering to COE protocols
• Be associated with a professional coffee company
• Understand and speak English

Applications are open for the 2026 season across 10 countries.

The Cupping Process

Every COE competition runs 6 rounds of blind cupping across two jury stages. All coffees are scored anonymously — the farmer's identity is never revealed to the judges.

National Jury — Rounds 1 to 3:

• Round 1: All entries cupped — top 150 scoring 86+ advance
• Round 2: Top 90 scoring 86+ advance
• Round 3: Top 40 scoring 86+ pass to the International Jury

International Jury — Rounds 4 to 6:

• Round 4: All 40 coffees scored by 16–24 international judges
• Round 5: Top 30 scoring 87+ awarded Cup of Excellence
• Round 6: Top 10 cupped one final time to determine ranking

Coffees scoring 90+ receive the Presidential Award — the highest recognition in the competition.