The International Institute of Coffee Tasters (IIAC) announced on 15 September the results of the 18th International Coffee Tasting, hosted by the Lavazza Training Center in Settimo Torinese. A total of 38 gold medals were awarded to 26 companies from Italy, Spain, Germany, Slovenia, Japan, South Korea and the United States.
The competition ran across six categories: filter coffee, moka, pods and single-serve, espresso blends, single-origin espresso and — for the first time in Italy — ready-to-drink and instant coffee. The panel consisted of 37 international tasters supported by a team of 15 professionals, and over two working days more than 22,000 sensory data points were collected.
All samples were judged blind, and the scores are processed statistically using a publicly available formula. Italian winners include Caffè Borbone, Caffè Agust and Italcaffè. IIAC president Carlo Odello noted that the sector is showing resilience, with companies managing to balance market demands with product quality.
If you would like to compare origins and roasts yourself, discover the coffee selection available at Mister Tabaco.
Source: Comunicaffè