The Cup of Excellence competition (CoE) is a multi-national initiative dedicated to improving the livelihoods and socio-economic conditions of coffee producers.
The CoE has been taking place since 1999 and has grown to encompass twelve different coffee producing countries. Producers submit their coffee to be independently assessed by a panel of jurors chosen from the best tasters in the host nation. If a coffee scores high enough, it then moves on to be judged by the international jury; a panel of judges comprised of industry professionals from around the world. Finally, the best overall coffees are sent to an online auction where bidders from around the globe attempt to secure these one-of-a-kind micro lots.
3The top placing and most unique coffees can fetch staggering prices as bidders vie for the tastiest beans; these prices are of course, paid directly to the coffee’s producer.
Samuel Zavala has been producing amazing coffee his entire life. Growing up in rural Nicaragua, both of Samuel’s parents were highly successful coffee producers in their own right. Along with his sister Paola, Samuel has received a great deal of recognition for his efforts on his farm El Cambalache; the culmination of which is this lot, the 2nd place winner of the 2021 Cup of Excellence competition. This Maracaturra lot, processed using Samuel’s take on honey processing, initially strikes us as more akin to the vibrant coffees of East Africa rather than Central America.
Samuel Zavala has been producing amazing coffee his entire life. Growing up in rural Nicaragua, both of Samuel’s parents were highly successful coffee producers in their own right. Along with his sister Paola, Samuel has received a great deal of recognition for his efforts on his farm El Cambalache; the culmination of which is this lot, the 2nd place winner of the 2021 Cup of Excellence competition. This Maracaturra lot, processed using Samuel’s take on honey processing, initially strikes us as more akin to the vibrant coffees of East Africa rather than Central America.
Dimattina Coffee has been buying directly from the Zavala's for almost 10 years.
Simon Dimattina reflects on his first meeting with Sala (Samuel's father), and the origins of our long-standing relationship with the family.
We have created a comprehensive brew guide with recipes for various home brewing methods so you can get the most out of this exquisite coffee.
Brew Guide
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