The 100-Point Scale

The Specialty Coffee Association uses a 100-point scale to evaluate coffee quality. Trained Q Graders assess ten attributes — fragrance, aroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, uniformity, clean cup, and sweetness — each scored individually and summed into a final cupping score.

Any coffee scoring 80 or above qualifies as “specialty grade.” That already places it in the top 5% of all coffee produced globally. But within specialty, the differences between 80, 85, and 90 are enormous.

What Happens Above 90

A coffee that scores 90+ is classified as “Outstanding” by SCA standards. Fewer than 1% of the world's annual production reaches this tier. These are lots where every attribute excels — no single weakness, no compromise.

At this level, you're tasting the fingerprint of a specific farm, a specific altitude, a specific harvest. The flavours are complex, layered, and evolving as the cup cools. A 90+ coffee doesn't just taste good — it tells a story.

“Below 90, you taste the region. Above 90, you taste the field.”

Why Rarity Matters

Producing a 90+ lot requires everything to align: the right variety planted in the right soil at the right altitude, hand-picked at perfect ripeness, processed with meticulous care, and roasted to honour the raw material. One misstep anywhere in the chain drops the score.

This is why 90+ coffees are priced at a premium — they represent the absolute pinnacle of what coffee farming and processing can achieve. For the farmer, a 90+ score validates generations of knowledge. For the drinker, it's an experience that redefines expectations.

SHOT Belfast's Selection

We source exclusively at this level. Jaguar, our Geisha variety, scores SCA 92 with a profile of citrus blossom, raw honey, and jasmine. Black Panther, our Parainema variety processed through anaerobic natural fermentation, scores SCA 93 with tropical fruit, wild berry, and chocolate depth.

Both come from Finca Jerusalén in Santa Bárbara, Honduras — a single estate at 1,300–1,600 metres altitude where Jose and his family have been growing coffee for over 155 years. This is direct trade at its most personal: one farm, one roaster, one purpose.

When we say SHOT Belfast serves the best coffee in the city, the numbers back it up.