International Coffee Tasting 2019 is coming soon: the eleventh edition of this competition organised by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters (Iiac) is returning, rewarding the world’s best coffees. The competition will be held on 10^th and 11^th December in Tokyo. Over the past ten years, this event has seen more than 1,000 different coffees going head-to-head. The key figures from the 2018 edition shine a light on the scope of this competition: over 322 coffees from 18 countries.

Organised with the scientific support of the CSA Italian Tasters, the high quality of this competition is based on the technical evaluations provided by the judges from the International Institute of Coffee Tasters (“Iiac”): a network that now counts almost 12,000 professionals in more than 40 countries around the world. The judges work completely blindfolded in accordance with the most stringent sensory analysis standards. All the data that they provide is statistically validated. Only products that pass the requirements established by the rules may receive a medal.

To register and for more information, please write to: claudia.ferretti@assaggiatori.com and michela.beltrami@assaggiatori.com. 

The eleventh edition of the international competition organised by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters (Iiac) was held in Guangzhou, China; 39 gold medals were awarded to coffees from Italy, Canada, China, Korea, Spain, Taiwan and Thailand

The sixth edition of the International Coffee Tasting will be held in Brescia (Italy) on October, 21-22. The commissions of the International Institute of Coffee Tasters, the scientific and independent association that concentrates exclusively on the sensory analysis of the coffee, will meet in Brescia to evaluate samples of coffees coming from all over the world.

International Coffee Tasting 2014 accepts coffee in all different styles, from espresso beans to capsules, from pods to filter coffee. Each company participating to the competition will receive its ranking and the sensory profile of its own product. The winners will be entitled to use the official logo of the competition on the winning products.

The international Coffee Tasting 2014 is open to coffee roasters from all around the world. Coffee roasters can submit their applications by September 19.

The International Coffee Tasting 2014 is sponsored by Wega and by Compak Coffee Grinders.

More information

– competition rules and application forms: http://www.assaggiatoricaffe.org/site/?q=en/node/1006

– a short clip about the International Coffee Tasting 2012: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rxm8eDjLhBs

– contact person: Carlo Odello (carlo.odello@italiantasters.com)

For two days judges from various countries tasted and assessed coffee from all over the world

Brescia, 7 november – The fourth edition of the International Coffee Tasting held in Brescia on the 29th and 31st October has closed. Coffees from all around the world have been challenging each other. 26 judges from 11 countries were given the task of assessing as many as 113 coffees from 13 countries: the winning products of the competition were chosen from a truly international selection (Editor’s note: the list is below).

"The winning coffees possess an exceptionally wide range of aromas – commented Luigi Odello, president of the International Institute of Coffee Tasters and Professor of Sensory Analysis at various Italian and foreign universities – accompanied by a bold but round and smooth body".

Among the competing products there were also coffee pods and capsules, a phenomenon which has increasingly grown in recent years. It is very interesting to observe how these coffees come very close to perform as espresso, but are still not able to reach its silkiness, rich body and powerful aroma.

"It is equally interesting to see how non Italian espresso roasters are progressing – concluded Odello – Many of them are definitely trying to align themselves with the Italian style ".

The competition sponsors were Wega Macchine per Caffè, Luigi Bormioli and Compak. The competition also enjoyed the patronage of the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies and of the International Academy of Sensory Analysis.

The winners of International Coffee Tasting 2012 (ex aequo, in alphabetic order with the name of the winning product in brackets)

Espresso – Italian blends

•  Costadoro, Turin (Coffee Lab)
• Esperia Distribuzione, Monza Brianza (Caffè Milano)
• G.I.Fi.Ze, Bologna (Club Kavè)
• Holly di Ulivieri Raffaele, Perugia (Bar 100% Arabica)
• Italcaffè, La Spezia (Excelso Bar)
• La Genovese, Savona (Caffè Anniversario Metal Box)
• La Genovese, Savona (Caffè Qualità Royal)
• Milani, Como (Milani Gran Espresso)
• Mokaor, Vercelli (Intenso)
• Omkafè, Trento (Superbar blend)
• Taurocaf di Alberto & Anzola, Turin (Caffè Alberto Pappagallo Rosso Blend)
• Torrefazione Caffè Gran Salvador, Brescia (100% Arabica CE)
• Torrefazione Caffè Gran Salvador, Brescia (100% Arabica N)
• Torrefazione Caffè Roen, Verona (Espresso Bendinelli – 100% Arabica Gourmet)
• Torrefazione dei F.lli Morandini, Brescia (Maxima Blend 100% Arabica)
• Torrefazione El Miguel, Varese (La Cafferia – Portofino)
• Torrefazione Olimpica, Rieti (Faraglia Espresso Barrique)
• Torrefazione S. Salvador, Sondrio (Super Bar)

Espresso – Non Italian blends or single origins

• Cafés Dromedario, Spain (Dromedario Colombia Nariño Supremo "El Tambo")
• Cafés Dromedario, Spain (Pozo Artesania)
• Cafés Dromedario, Spain (Tostadora Natural Hosteleria)
• Caffè Principe, Germany (Ottanta)
• Droga Kolinska, Slovenia (Barcaffè Bar)
• Gourmet Coffee Roasters, South Africa (Häzz)
• Milano Coffee, Canada (Espresso # 1)
• P & F Coffee, Thailand (P & F Espresso Blend)
• P & F Coffee, Thailand (P & F Splendid Blend)
• Peaberry, Thailand (House Blend Coffee Roasted)
• Peaberry, Thailand (Roadster Blend Coffee Roasted)

Coffee pods and capsules

• Caffè Agust, Brescia (Natura Equa Biofairtrade capsule)
• Mocoffee, Switzerland (Bel Canto – Strato Coffee Machine)
• Torrefazione Caffè Roen, Verona (Monodose Capsule)

Coffee for non-professional automatic coffee machines

• Milani, Como (Milani Guatemala Antigua El Pulcal)

by Carlo Odello

Trainer and member of the board of the International Institute of Coffee Tasters

 This year, the International Institute of Coffee Tasters is organising the fourth edition of ‘International Coffee Tasting 2012’, the only international competition among coffees. I have been working as a member of this Institute board of directors for years and I am proud to say that this is maybe the most important event of the association. It is an honour to work organizing it and, honestly, it is also a pleasure to be able to propose this showcase to coffee roasters from all around the world. There are some very good reasons for taking part to this event.

The first one: International Coffee Tasting is truly the only event which focuses on the preparation of coffee. There are other excellent events dealing with the coffee beans, others the baristas, other more or less original preparation methods. On the contrary, we focus our attention on the coffee for the market: the coffee which will be really used by baristas or by coffee lovers at home, in pods and capsules. Who wins the competition, wins the challenge of the market.

The second one: from this year, all winners are involved in the open-day the International Institute of Coffee Tasters will organise in 2013, the year of its 20th anniversary. A day in which all the winning products will be showed to the press and opinion-leaders. This extra visibility is combined with that already achieved by press releases, publishing the winners them on our website and, most importantly, by using the winner’s logo on the coffee bags.

Briefly, International Coffee Tasting 2012 is a competition among the coffees everyone of us can find on the real market, pointing spotlights on the best. We are not making anything up: in the wine world competitions are on the agenda, the big ones have thousands of participants. The returns for wine companies are unbelievable: winning a competition supports the trade policy in an excellent way, it represents an edge over all the others.

In the last three editions, we have helped winners in this very way: to highlight themselves and provide their customers another good reason to buy their products.

Please, find the participation form to International Coffee Tasting 2012 at:
http://www.assaggiatoricaffe.org/site/?q=en/node/428
 

The third edition of International Coffee Tasting will be held in Brescia (Italy) on October, 26-27. The  commissions of the International Institute of Coffee Tasters, the scientific and independent association that concentrates exclusively on the sensory analysis of the coffee, will meet in Brescia to evaluate samples of coffees coming from all over the world.

International Coffee Tasting 2010 accepts coffee in all different styles, from espresso to capsules, from pods to filter coffee. Each company participating to the competition will receive its ranking and the sensory profile of its own product. The mission of the International Coffee Tasting 2010 is not only to award excellence, but also to support coffee roasters in reaching it. "The market is effectively polarizing itself, with peaks of high quality countered by example of poor quality", concluded Mr Odello.

International Coffee Tasting 2010 is open to coffee roasters from all around the world. Coffee roasters can register up until the June 30 (forms available at www.coffeetasters.org). For more information please contact Claudia Ferretti (claudia.ferretti@italiantasters.com, tel. +39 030 397308).

>> Go to the International Coffee Tasting 2010 page

The competition rules and the application form for the International Coffee Tasting 2010 are now avaiable on the website of the International Institute of Coffee Tasters.

The International Coffee Tasting 2010 is an international competition for single or mixed origin coffee, in beans, powder or single dose forms, for espresso, mocha or filter coffee. It will be held in Italy on October 26-27 and is organised by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters with the cooperation of the Centro Studi Assaggiatori (Italian Tasters).

The International Coffee Tasting proposes:

• to create a competition between coffees from throughout the world in order to emphasize the hedonic quality of the product which comes from particularly gifted areas and which is carefully grown, expertly selected, knowledgeably roasted and then, whenever appropriate, masterfully blended;
• to emphasis quality production by indicating to consumers the best products on the market;
• to stimulate producers to follow a quality path in its most modern definition: i.e. customer satisfaction.

For more information, just visit the website or send an email to info@coffeetasters.org.

The 2008 International Coffee Tasting was held in Brescia (Italy) on the 30th and 31st of October. 130 coffees from all over the world took part in the competition organised by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters with the technical cooperation of the Centro Studi Assaggiatori (Taster Study Center).

After two days of work, 26 tasters were able to award the best coffees with the Golden Medal. They evaluated each coffee blindly using a tasting card. The cards were collected and processed by the technicians of the Centro Studi Assaggiatori. A list of the winners was eventually issued.

“As far as the Italian market is concerned, the tasting sessions demonstrate an improvement in the average quality of coffee – told Luigi Odello, secretary general of the International Institute of Coffee Tasters and professor of Sensory Analysis in several Italian universities – Espresso confirmed as the best way to prepare coffee: the moka pot, the filter, the neapolitan and the home machines cannot reach its level of quality”.

All the winners of the 2008 International Coffee Tasting: the Golden Medals

Category: Italian espresso blends for the horeca

• Caffè Agust- Agust Natura Equa – Miscela di Caffè 100% Arabica da Agricoltura Biologica – Speciale Bar
• Caffè Haiti Roma di Azeglio Martella & C. Srl – Caffè Gran Riserva – Prodotto Italiano di Qualità
• Caffè Terzi Sas- Miscela Terzi n. 1 – 100% Arabica
• Costadoro Spa – Master Club Coffee – 100% Qualità Arabica
• Caffè Paranà di Giannelli Emilio – Espresso italiano in grani
• Holly di Ulivieri Raffaele – Torrefazione Caffè – Special Bar 100% Arabica 
• La Genovese Sas – Caffè Qualità Oro 
• Minuto Caffè Srl – Bar Gourmet Espresso 1 Kg – 100% Arabica 
• T.M. Srl dei F.lli Morandini & C. – Miscela Oro 90% Arabica Certificata in grani
• Torrefazione Artigianale Caffè Roen – Espresso Bendinelli "Gourmet 100% Arabica"
• Torrefazione Aryscaffè – Aryscaffè Eurobar 
• Torrefazione Caffè Avana – Miscela Degustazione "Sublime" 
• Torrefazione Gran Salvador Snc – 001 – Oro 
• Torrefazione Saturno Srl – Miscela 1 Bar Caracol 
• Torrefazione Taurocaf Snc – Caffè Alberto Miscela Pappagallo Oro – Espresso 
• Torrefazione Taurocaf Snc – Caffè Alberto Miscela Pappagallo Rosso – Espresso 
• Tris Moka Srl – Gran Caffè Gourmet

Category: Non-Italian espresso blends for the horeca

• Café Dromedario Sa (Spagna) – Cafè Colombiano Nariño Supremo "El Tambo" Café Dromedario – Café en Grano Natural
• Café Dromedario Sa (Spagna) – Cinco Alturas Cafes La Brasileña – La Tostadora – Café en Grano
• Café Dromedario Sa (Spagna) – Especial Espresso Cafè Dromedario – Café Natural en Grano
• Massimo Cerutti S.A. (Svizzera) – Cerutti "Il caffè" Qualità Extra Milano
• Monardo – AMeL Commercial de cafes e complementos (Brasile) – Antonello Monardo Caffè Espresso Blend – Sul de Minas Gourmet – 100% Arabica

Category: Home automatic coffee machine

• Caffè Mokarico Srl – Bar – Caffè torrefatto in grani

Category: Single-dose coffee machine

• Angelo Morettino Spa – Caffè Morettino "100% Arabica Espresso" – Cialda
• Caffè Cagliari Spa – Cialda Gran Caffè – monodose per macchine espresso
• Costadoro Spa – Cialde Costadoro – Coffee Pod
• Omkafè Srl – Cialde Top Quality Omkafè

Category: Moka coffee pot

• Angelo Morettino Spa – Caffè Morettino "Arabica Club" 100% Arabica – Morbido e raffinato
• Caffè Cartapani Srl – Miscela "Primeiro" 100% Arabica – macinato
• Café Dromedario Sa (Spagna) – Café Colombiano Nariño Supremo "El Tambo" La Tostadora
• Corsino Corsini Spa – Colombia Caffè Medellin Supremo – Compagnia dell’Arabica
• Milani Spa – Puro Portorico Yauco Selecto – 100% Arabica
• Minuto Caffè Srl – Fior di Aroma Macinato 250 g – 100% Arabica

Category: Neapolitan coffee pot / Filter

• Torrefazione Principe Gbr (Germania) – La Nera Espresso Casa

International Coffee Tasting 2008 will be the record-setting competition. Actually, more than 140 coffees from all over the world have registered for the biennial competition organised by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters. A sharp increase of the number of coffees compared to the first edition in 2006, during which, for the first time ever, tens of coffees were assessed by commissions made up of judges from the International Institute of Coffee Tasters. «A unique initiative which already in 2006 attracted also the attention of the media – said Odello – The mission of the International Institute of Coffee Tasters is that of promoting a scientific method for coffee tasting. Praising the best products of the sector means also rewarding those who work in a competent manner in order to provide consumers with a truly high quality coffee». Currently, the tasting commissions made up of tasters, both Italians and foreigners, from the Institute are being formed. See you all then on the 30th-31st of October when the international competition will take place in Brescia.

by Luigi Odello

Secretary General of the International Institute of Coffee Tasters, he is also a lecturer at the University of Udine, Verona and at the Cattolica in Piacenza. In addition he is the Chairman of the Taster Study Center and Secretary General of the Italian Espresso National Institute

Without competition, there can be no improvement. This is a genetics law but it is true also for the business world. However, many companies in the coffee sector are not that keen on competition, especially if it is on the sensory impact of the blends. Think about wine, a product from which coffee should draw inspiration if it wants to a step further towards the life of consumers. There is an incredible number of guides with all sorts of comments – expressed in differing ways – valuations at exaggerated rhythms and competitions with tens of editions left behind.

In our business, the International Institute of Coffee Tasters has recently finalised an unprecedented investigation on quality at the bar: 907 surveys in bars in the entire Italian territory, 20 bars in he city centre of Milan and Rome examined by means of the environment and sensory analysis.

On the one hand, the joy of the winners has been expressed in quiet tones, on the other, the anger of the excluded has been strong to the extent that the poorly appeased acrimony reached the governing bodies of major institutions. We should be happy about this because it is anyhow a reaction which means that something will happen. We would like this to turn into food for thought for everybody on what to do to improve rather than to boil down to plain expression of sorrow.

These are our thoughts while we are busy with the organisation of another big event at an International level: the second edition of International Coffee Tasting. The first edition, in 2006, was a success. Not only in terms of the number of attendees. Some companies bought entire pages on newspapers to advertise the award they won. Other participants asked if it was possible to display the logo of the competition on their product. Let alone the company that received an order of coffee from a big Dutch agent in order to supply 5000 families with the gold medal product.

International Coffee Tasting is the first and only competition in the world of this kind. Its rules are based on the strict rules applied to wine tasting and defined by the International Organisation of Vines and Wine. Expert tasters from the International Institute of Coffee Tasters taste, anonymously, the coffee and the data is processed with the support of the most modern statistics techniques.

What else can be done? Well, we are already aware that the anger of the excluded will show once again.