Coffee scores - why we choose another way

One of the most common questions we hear from customers is:
“What’s the score of this coffee?” or “is this a competition coffee?”

It’s a fair question, many roasteries still print a score right on the label, often suggesting that higher numbers automatically mean better coffee, but the reality is more complex.

First of all, what is a coffee score?

Traditionally, coffee quality has been assessed using the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) cupping protocol, where certified Q-graders taste a coffee sample and assign it a score out of 100.

Coffees scoring 80 points or above were considered “specialty.” The new SCA Coffee Value Assessment (CVA) builds on this by separating evaluation into distinct categories, (more on this later) but part of the industry and many consumers still focus on that single number.

On top of that, when scores are given directly by roasters rather than independent graders, they can be influenced by personal preference, marketing goals, or even the desire to justify higher prices.

Why scores don’t tell the whole story

A single number can’t capture the complete picture of a coffee’s quality, story, or impact.

• Scores assigned by Q-graders reflect more the potential of the green bean, not the way it will taste and express quality in the cup once a roaster applies their profiles and brewers applies their recipes.

• If the score comes from the roaster themselves, to me it’s hard not to think of it more of a marketing choice than an objective fact.

• Coffee is a seasonal product, it starts to very slowly change from the moment it’s harvested and even more quickly after roasting. That means the score given months earlier can’t truly reflect its quality at every stage, as both the coffee and its storage conditions change.

• A paradox: if a coffee scores 79 instead of 80, might loses access to the premium market, all for the difference of a single point.

Our approach: we have internal quality score, but we don’t sell by it

Yes, we do have an internal quality control and scoring system. But our scores are for us, not for marketing. They guide us mostly in quality control of production batches, always keeping in mind that we only look for coffees we love to drink and share: complex, sweet and vibrant in acidity.

We look closely at how a coffee was cultivated. Agroforestry systems, where coffee grows in biodiverse, shade-grown environments, are becoming an increasing focus of our sourcing.

For us, a “lower-scoring” coffee grown with outstanding environmental and social practices can be more valuable than a technically “higher” score without that impact.

A new way forward: SCA’s Coffee Value Assessment (CVA)

We’re following the new Coffee Value Assessment developed by the Specialty Coffee Association. Rather than blending everything into a single score, the CVA evaluates coffee across four separate dimensions:
-Physical — Bean characteristics
-Descriptive — Sensory profile
-Affective — Personal preference
-Extrinsic — Context like origin, sustainability and social impact
It can be a more honest way to communicate coffee quality and one that makes space for the values we think matter most.

Look beyond the score

We’re writing this because we want to be transparent.

We work closely with producers who respect the land and the people who cultivate it. Each lot is roasted with tailored profiles designed to highlight its unique sensory qualities. Our curated selection reflects these values and stands out for its taste and complexity.

For us, every coffee is much more than just a quality score: it’s a story, a relationship and a commitment to excellence.

Matteo Pavoni