A panel of more than 250 chefs and sommeliers has awarded Superior Taste Awards to dozens of coffees from around the globe, recognizing products for their exceptional flavor profiles. Nineteen coffees achieved the highest three-star designation in the International Taste Institute's (ITI) annual competition, widely regarded as a prestigious certification in the food and beverage industry.
The blind tasting process involved jury members evaluating coffees without any identifying markers, assessing them on criteria such as first impression, vision, olfaction, taste, and final sensation. Products scoring above 70% receive a Superior Taste Award, with one, two, or three stars indicating increasing levels of quality.
Among the nineteen three-star recipients were several available in the U.S. Two offerings from the Italian brand Lavazza earned top honors: La Reserva de ¡Tierra! Colombia, described as a full-bodied and balanced 100% Arabica blend with notes of tropical fruits, lime zest, and jasmine, and Tales of Italy Canal Grande, a blend of Arabica and Robusta beans featuring chocolate notes.
Other three-star awardees included ground coffee from Café San Alberto of Colombia, and multiple coffee pod selections from Costa Coffee Professional of the United Kingdom, such as Signature Medium Decaf, Podio Capsule, and Colombian Character Roast, Podio Capsule. The only instant coffee to receive a three-star award was Oriental Kopi Classic White Coffee from Malaysia.
In total, five whole-bean coffees from Italy, three from Spain, and one each from South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Japan, and Taiwan received three-star recognition. The ITI categorizes one-star products as good quality, two-star products as standing out within their category, and three-star products as exceptional.