Specialty coffee vs commercial coffee: why they are not the same
While commercial coffee blends beans from different sources for a uniform (and often bitter) flavour, specialty coffee celebrates what makes each origin unique: its altitude, its variety, its process and the hands that tend it.
The result is a cup with nuances ranging from fruity and floral to chocolate and nuts. And the price difference is just a few cents per cup.
Commercial coffee
Specialty coffee
The SCA score: what 80+ means
The Specialty Coffee Association scores coffee from 0 to 100, assessing aroma, acidity, body, sweetness and balance. From 80 points, a coffee is considered specialty.
Certified cuppers (Q-Graders) carry out these cuppings following a standardised protocol. At Sensorial, all our coffees score above 80 points.
Notable quality with clear origin characteristics.
Complex, balanced and memorable profiles.
Rare coffees with unique micro-lot profiles.
From origin to your cup
We control every stage. Our own farms in 6 countries, roasting in Barcelona, zero middlemen.
- 1 Growing Our own farms at 1,200–2,000 m
- 2 Harvest Hand-picked, cherry by cherry
- 3 Processing Washed, Natural or Honey
- 4 Export Moisture control and storage
- 5 Roasting Unique profiles in Barcelona
- 6 Your cup Fresh grind, perfect extraction
Our origins
Each country brings a unique character. These are the origins we work with from our farms.
Varieties: why every coffee tastes different
Just as with wine, coffee has botanical varieties with their own profiles: Caturra (balanced, sweet), Bourbon (chocolate, caramel), Gesha (floral, exclusive).
On every bag of our coffees you will find the variety, the process and the tasting notes.
The process defines the flavour
Clean, bright acidity, clear notes of origin.
More body, intense sweetness, fruity notes.
The sweetness of a natural with the clean cup of a washed.
How to brew specialty coffee at home
The essentials: freshly roasted whole bean coffee, ground just before brewing. Ground coffee loses 50% of its properties in 24 hours.
Espresso for intensity. Filter (V60, Chemex) for subtle nuances. Moka for the everyday classic.
Our coffee + method packs include everything, with up to 15% off.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between specialty coffee and regular coffee?
Specialty coffee scores over 80 SCA points, comes from a single, traceable origin and is freshly roasted to bring out its nuances. Commercial coffee blends origins, is roasted dark to even out the flavour and spends months on the shelf.
Why is it more expensive?
Because of hand-picking, careful processing and fair payment at origin. Even so, the real difference is just a few cents per cup: between €0.15 and €0.40, compared with €0.05–€0.15 for commercial coffee.
What score does it have?
80 or more out of 100 on the Specialty Coffee Association scale, assessed by certified cuppers (Q-Graders). All Sensorial coffees score above 80 points.
Does it have more caffeine?
Not necessarily. Caffeine depends on the variety and the preparation, not on the quality. The lighter roasts of specialty coffee retain slightly more caffeine than dark ones.
Is whole bean or ground better?
Always whole bean: ground coffee loses around 50% of its aromas in 24 hours. If you do not have a grinder, we will grind it to the exact setting for your method when you place your order.
Ready to taste the difference?
Coffee from our own farms. Roasted in Barcelona. No middlemen.