If you've spent any time around coffee shops lately, you've probably come across the term specialty coffee. It's on café menus, coffee bags, social media posts, and pretty much anywhere coffee people gather.
But despite how common the term has become, a lot of people still aren't entirely sure what it means.
Specialty coffee is coffee that scores 80 points or higher on a 100-point quality scale and has been produced with a focus on quality, traceability, and flavour.
In simple terms, specialty coffee represents the highest quality category of coffee available. It is grown, harvested, processed, and evaluated to strict standards, with a focus on preserving the unique characteristics of each coffee.
While that sounds straightforward, there's a lot more to the story.
It All Starts at the Farm
Every great coffee begins long before it reaches your favourite café.
Specialty coffee is typically grown in regions with the ideal combination of altitude, climate, and soil conditions. Farmers invest significant time and effort into producing quality coffee, often selectively harvesting cherries at peak ripeness rather than prioritising volume.
The result is a cleaner, sweeter, and more complex cup.
Most specialty coffee beans come from carefully selected Arabica coffee varieties that are prized for their flavour and cup quality. While Arabica isn't automatically specialty coffee, virtually all specialty coffee is produced using high-quality Arabica cultivars.
Much like wine, where a grape's growing region influences its flavour, coffee is heavily shaped by where it's grown. The country, region, altitude, and even the individual farm can all contribute to what you'll taste in the cup. This is particularly true for single origin coffees, where the unique characteristics of a specific farm or region can really shine.
How Is Specialty Coffee Graded?
Specialty coffee isn't just a marketing phrase. It has a recognised industry definition.
To be classified as specialty coffee, a coffee must score 80 points or higher out of 100 during a professional tasting process known as cupping. These evaluations assess characteristics such as aroma, sweetness, acidity, body, balance, and overall flavour.
According to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), coffees that score 80 points or above qualify as specialty coffee.
That score provides an indication of coffee quality, but it's important to remember that coffee is still personal. A higher score doesn't automatically mean you'll enjoy it more. It simply means the coffee has met a recognised benchmark for quality and is free from major defects.
Has Specialty Coffee Become a Marketing Term?
As specialty coffee has grown in popularity, the term itself has started appearing everywhere. That's a positive thing in many ways, as more people are becoming interested in quality coffee and where it comes from.
However, it's worth recognising that not all specialty coffee is created equal.
Technically speaking, any coffee scoring 80 points or above qualifies as specialty coffee. That means large coffee companies can purchase substantial volumes of lower-scoring specialty coffee, add "specialty coffee" to the packaging, and be completely accurate.
The challenge is that consumers often assume all specialty coffee is exceptional, when in reality the category covers a fairly broad range of quality levels. An 80-point coffee and an 88-point coffee may both carry the specialty label, but they can offer very different experiences in the cup.
That doesn't mean lower-scoring specialty coffees are bad. Many are excellent daily drinkers. The point is simply that the term "specialty coffee" doesn't tell the whole story.
From our experience, we've tasted coffees that technically meet specialty standards but offer very little character, and we've also tasted coffees that dramatically exceed expectations. That's why we believe context matters as much as the score itself.
When we're selecting coffees, we're looking beyond whether a coffee technically qualifies as specialty. We're interested in flavour, traceability, producer relationships, consistency, and whether the coffee offers something genuinely memorable.
For coffee drinkers, it's a good reminder to look beyond the label and ask a few extra questions. Where was the coffee grown? Who produced it? What makes it unique? Those answers often reveal far more than the word "specialty" ever will.
Our view: The word "specialty" is a great starting point, but it's not where the conversation should end. We'd rather tell you who grew the coffee, where it came from, and why we love it than rely on a label alone.
Why Does Specialty Coffee Taste Different?
One of the most common things we hear from people trying specialty coffee for the first time is surprise.
Many people grow up thinking coffee should taste bitter, strong, and one-dimensional. Then they try a quality specialty coffee and suddenly they're tasting notes of chocolate, caramel, berries, citrus, nuts, or floral characteristics.
The first question is often, "What did you add to it?"
The answer is nothing.
Those flavours occur naturally within the coffee itself. Different coffee varieties, growing regions, and farming practices all influence the flavour profile. Just as two apples can taste completely different despite being apples, two coffees can be remarkably different despite both being coffee.
Understanding coffee tasting notes can help you identify these flavours and better understand what you're tasting.
Is Specialty Coffee Worth It?
Specialty coffee often costs more than mass-produced coffee, but there's a good reason for that.
Behind every cup is a chain of people focused on producing something exceptional. Farmers invest in quality growing and harvesting practices, exporters and importers source carefully, and roasters work to highlight each coffee's unique characteristics.
For many people, specialty coffee isn't about chasing tasting notes or becoming a coffee expert. It's simply about enjoying a better cup of coffee and understanding a little more about where it came from.
What Specialty Coffee Really Means
At its core, specialty coffee is about quality, transparency, and appreciation for the people behind the product.
It's coffee with a story. Coffee that reflects the region where it was grown, the care taken by the producer, and the work of everyone who helped bring it from farm to cup.
Whether you're new to specialty coffee or you've been drinking it for years, understanding what specialty coffee really means can help you make more informed choices and appreciate what's in your cup.
If you're ready to experience the difference for yourself, explore our current range. of specialty coffees and discover coffees sourced for flavour, transparency, and quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered specialty coffee?
Specialty coffee is coffee that scores 80 points or higher out of 100 during a professional quality assessment known as cupping.
Is all specialty coffee high quality?
All specialty coffee meets a recognised quality standard, but there can be a significant difference between an 80-point coffee and an 88-point coffee. The specialty category covers a broad range of quality levels.
What's the difference between specialty coffee and commercial coffee?
Commercial coffee is typically produced for consistency and volume, while specialty coffee prioritises quality, traceability, and flavour. Specialty coffee must also meet recognised quality standards through professional grading.
Why is specialty coffee more expensive?
Specialty coffee often involves more labour-intensive farming, selective harvesting, improved traceability, and greater quality control throughout the supply chain.
Does specialty coffee contain flavourings?
No. Flavour notes such as chocolate, berries, citrus, and caramel occur naturally in the coffee and are influenced by the variety, growing conditions, and origin.
How can I choose a good specialty coffee?
Look beyond the word "specialty". Consider the origin, producer, tasting notes, roast date, and the reputation of the roaster sourcing the coffee.
