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Specialty coffee is a category of coffee that stands out for its superior quality. It is known as “the third wave of coffee”, and this movement has set out the standards a coffee must meet to be considered excellent.

• For a coffee to be specialty grade, it must meet certain requirements, for example:
• It must be grown on land where the soil and biodiversity are optimal, as this produces high-quality beans, often with greater flavour complexity.
• It must be handled with extreme care at every stage (picking, processing, drying, etc.). For example, cherries must be picked by hand rather than by machines that damage both the coffee cherry and the plant itself.
• Traceability is essential, meaning you know everything about how it was grown: the region it comes from, the altitude, the farm, the producer, the type of processing and drying used, and so on.
• It must have a score SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) of 80 points or higher, which guarantees its excellence.

Coffee beans stay fresh for longer than ground coffee or capsules, which can lose quality when stored for long periods. This is because ground coffee oxidises: within the first 24 hours after grinding it already loses around 50% of its sensory properties. Freshness is essential for high-quality coffee, as it lets the aromas and flavours come through better and avoids the unpleasant flavours of stale coffee.

Whole bean coffee is also uniquely versatile. You can adjust the grind to your brewing method and make a cup that suits your taste, from a fine grind for espresso to a coarse grind for a French press. This gives you full control over extraction and lets you tailor your coffee experience.

The number of cups you can get from a kilo of coffee beans depends on how you brew it and how much coffee you use per cup. On average, a kilo of coffee beans makes around 120 to 140 cups of coffee, using about 7 to 8 grams of ground coffee per espresso. If you use a filter method, with a standard recipe of 20 g of ground coffee for drip filter and 300 ml of water, you can get up to 50 cups.

How you make coffee at home depends on the method you choose, such as a French press, filter coffee maker, AeroPress or espresso machine, among others. Each method has its own specific instructions. Make sure you use good-quality water and fresh coffee beans, and follow the right grind size and ratios for the best flavour. On our blog you'll find different recipes to make at home – you're sure to love them!

Different types of coffee differ in aspects such as origin, processing, roast, flavour and aroma. Each coffee variety has unique characteristics, ranging from fruity and floral notes to nuttier or chocolatey flavours. The origin of the coffee and the processing techniques also have a significant influence on the final flavour profile, giving a wide range of taste experiences. The roast level also brings out the different notes a coffee can offer: a light roast highlights acidity and floral notes, while a dark roast develops more chocolate and nutty notes.

Specialty coffee offers several benefits, in flavour, in social and environmental impact, and even for your health. Thanks to selective farming and careful production, it offers a unique sensory experience with complex flavours you won't find in traditional coffee.

It also promotes sustainability, as it comes from responsible farms that respect the environment and ensure fair conditions for coffee growers. Its traceability lets you know its origin, variety and processing, ensuring superior quality in every cup.

Believe it or not, specialty coffee is also better for your health than traditional coffee, thanks to the great care it receives from the farm onwards. Defects (such as over-fermentation, insect damage or rotten beans) are avoided at all costs, unlike traditional coffee, where there is no such care. The same goes for roasting: a roasted specialty coffee must never be burnt, whereas traditional coffees are usually roasted very dark, which makes them completely harmful to your health.

Choosing whole bean coffee not only improves the quality and flavour of every cup, it is also cheaper in the long run. Although the initial investment in a grinder or coffee machine may seem higher, the cost per cup of whole bean coffee is lower than that of capsules.

Whole bean coffee also offers superior freshness, flavour and quality compared with capsules. Grinding it just before brewing better preserves its essential oils and natural aromas, resulting in a richer, more complex cup.

And by choosing whole bean coffee, you also save on environmental costs by avoiding the plastic and aluminium waste of disposable capsules.

If you're after quality, better flavour and long-term savings, whole bean coffee is the best choice. Your wallet and the planet will thank you!

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