Competitions
Meet our partner competitions
Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE)
Alliance for Coffee Excellence (ACE) is a nonprofit, global membership organization that upholds the highest standards in specialty coffee through their program Cup of Excellence. ACE is currently based in Portland, Oregon, USA and provides exceptional service to its members, who span more than fifty countries, uniting coffee professionals and supporters who are passionate about quality coffee and empowering specialty coffee producers. ACE’s mission is to discover and reward exceptional quality coffee farmers. They create and set worldwide quality selection standards, build a bridge between the roaster and the farmer, and support sustainable specialty coffee.
Cup of Excellence was born in 1999 at the end of a global project designed to help farmers receive more money for their high-quality coffee. For all its known impact and its international recognition, the development of COE and especially its transparency to the farmers had huge push back and challenges in funding. Critical early support by lifetime members and higher quality roasters set the foundation for the expansion of Cup of Excellence into multiple coffee producing countries. Presently 11 coffee producing nations rely on Cup of Excellence to discover and reward their top coffee farmers and help develop long term marketplace relationships so critical to sustainable economic development.
DABOV Specialty Coffee is an ACE member since 2012. Jordan Dabov was a jury member in COE in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras.
Cup of Excellence was born in 1999 at the end of a global project designed to help farmers receive more money for their high-quality coffee. For all its known impact and its international recognition, the development of COE and especially its transparency to the farmers had huge push back and challenges in funding. Critical early support by lifetime members and higher quality roasters set the foundation for the expansion of Cup of Excellence into multiple coffee producing countries. Presently 11 coffee producing nations rely on Cup of Excellence to discover and reward their top coffee farmers and help develop long term marketplace relationships so critical to sustainable economic development.
DABOV Specialty Coffee is an ACE member since 2012. Jordan Dabov was a jury member in COE in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras.
Coffees awarded on COE in DABOV Specialty Coffee’s catalogue
2015 г. – 32nd place in COE Costa Rica 2015 – finca Dona Ileana, Costa Rica Dona Ileana СОЕ #32 2015, 85,68 points
2016 – 1st place in СОЕ Guatemala – finca Calibus La Siera, Guatemala Calibus La Siera СОЕ #1 2016, 92,09 points
2017 – 16th place in СОЕ Costa Rica – finca Dona Ileana, Costa Rica Dona Ileana СОЕ #16 2017, 88,24 points
2017 – 7th place in СОЕ Brazil 2017 – fazenda Sitio do Bone, Brazil Sitio do Bone СОЕ #7 2017, 89,43 points
2018 – 6th place in СОЕ Nicaragua 2018 – finca La Virgen, Nicaragua La Virgen СОЕ #6 2018 89,55 points
2018 – 1st place in СОЕ Brazil 2018, Pulped Natural – fazenda Paraiso, Brazil Paraiso СОЕ #1 2018, 93,26 points
2019 – 1st place in СОЕ Honduras 2019, Washed Geisha finca Santa Lucia, Honduras Santa Lucia Geisha СОЕ #1 2019, 94,84 points
2019 – 1st place in СОЕ Peru 2019, finca La Lucuma, Peru La Lucuma СОЕ #1 2019, 92,28 points
2019 – 10th place in СОЕ Brazil 2019, Pulped Natural – fazenda Aterradinho, Brazil Fazenda Aterradinho СОЕ #10 2019, 88,61 points
2020 – 21th place in COE El Salvador 2020, finca Don Octavio – El Salvador Don Octavio COE #21 2020, 87.25 points
2020 – 4th place in COE Colombia 2020, finca Buenos Aires – Colombia Buenos Aires Geisha COE #4 2020, 88.69 points
2021 – 7th place in COE El Salvador 2021, finca Tres Pozos – El Salvador Tres Pozos COE #7 2021, 89.25 points
2021 – 5th place in COE Peru 2021, finca Santa Teresa – Peru Geisha Santa Teresa COE #5 2021, 89.9 points
2021 – 14th place in COE Brazil 2021, finca Monte Alegre – Brazil Monte Alegre COE #14 2021, 88.10 points
2015 г. – 32nd place in COE Costa Rica 2015 – finca Dona Ileana, Costa Rica Dona Ileana СОЕ #32 2015, 85,68 points
2016 – 1st place in СОЕ Guatemala – finca Calibus La Siera, Guatemala Calibus La Siera СОЕ #1 2016, 92,09 points
2017 – 16th place in СОЕ Costa Rica – finca Dona Ileana, Costa Rica Dona Ileana СОЕ #16 2017, 88,24 points
2017 – 7th place in СОЕ Brazil 2017 – fazenda Sitio do Bone, Brazil Sitio do Bone СОЕ #7 2017, 89,43 points
2018 – 6th place in СОЕ Nicaragua 2018 – finca La Virgen, Nicaragua La Virgen СОЕ #6 2018 89,55 points
2018 – 1st place in СОЕ Brazil 2018, Pulped Natural – fazenda Paraiso, Brazil Paraiso СОЕ #1 2018, 93,26 points
2019 – 1st place in СОЕ Honduras 2019, Washed Geisha finca Santa Lucia, Honduras Santa Lucia Geisha СОЕ #1 2019, 94,84 points
2019 – 1st place in СОЕ Peru 2019, finca La Lucuma, Peru La Lucuma СОЕ #1 2019, 92,28 points
2019 – 10th place in СОЕ Brazil 2019, Pulped Natural – fazenda Aterradinho, Brazil Fazenda Aterradinho СОЕ #10 2019, 88,61 points
2020 – 21th place in COE El Salvador 2020, finca Don Octavio – El Salvador Don Octavio COE #21 2020, 87.25 points
2020 – 4th place in COE Colombia 2020, finca Buenos Aires – Colombia Buenos Aires Geisha COE #4 2020, 88.69 points
2021 – 7th place in COE El Salvador 2021, finca Tres Pozos – El Salvador Tres Pozos COE #7 2021, 89.25 points
2021 – 5th place in COE Peru 2021, finca Santa Teresa – Peru Geisha Santa Teresa COE #5 2021, 89.9 points
2021 – 14th place in COE Brazil 2021, finca Monte Alegre – Brazil Monte Alegre COE #14 2021, 88.10 points
Best of Panama
The Panamanian Association of Special Coffees (SCAP) was born in 1996. Currently, SCAP has more than 50 active members that export its varieties of Special Coffees around the world and that are winners of prizes and recognition in different international taste competitions. Once a year SCAP organizes its own COE – Best of Panama (BOP), which in 2018 celebrated its 22nd edition. The event consists of competition among the best coffees in Panama, which are mostly from the superb Geisha variety. Since 1996, the Best of Panama represents the opportunity for local estates to promote the quality of their harvests, as this competition is overseen and judged by national and international experts in the specialty coffee industry.
In 2018, Jordan Dabov gained the privilege to be among the jurors in BOP.
In 2019, Jordan Dabov was again invited to be among the jurors in BOP.
Coffees awarded on BOP in DABOV Specialty Coffee’s catalogue
2018 – 16th place, Geisha Washed category – Lot Dona Elvira, Dona Elvira – Geisha Washed #16 BOP 2018, 94,5 points
2020 – 11th place, Geisha Washed category – Lot Ironman IV, finca La Aurora – Panama Ironman IV Geisha BOP #11 2020
2021 – 13th place, Geisha Washed category – Lot Ironman V, finca La Aurora – Panama Ironman V Geisha BOP #13 2021, 91 points
In 2018, Jordan Dabov gained the privilege to be among the jurors in BOP.
In 2019, Jordan Dabov was again invited to be among the jurors in BOP.
Coffees awarded on BOP in DABOV Specialty Coffee’s catalogue
2018 – 16th place, Geisha Washed category – Lot Dona Elvira, Dona Elvira – Geisha Washed #16 BOP 2018, 94,5 points
2020 – 11th place, Geisha Washed category – Lot Ironman IV, finca La Aurora – Panama Ironman IV Geisha BOP #11 2020
2021 – 13th place, Geisha Washed category – Lot Ironman V, finca La Aurora – Panama Ironman V Geisha BOP #13 2021, 91 points
Oro de Santa Barbara
Oro de Santa Barbara (OSB), Honduras, is a regional coffee competition in conjunction with the Coffee Festival of Santa Barbara, Honduras. It was organized by Honduras Coffee Innovation (HCI) and first held during April 25 and 28, 2018. Oro de Santa Barbara competition and auction aims to facilitate international market access for small and medium-sized producers producing top-quality coffee throughout the country. Santa Barbara is one of the most well-known coffee areas in Honduras.
Jordan Dabov was invited to be among the judges in OSB.
Coffees awarded on OSB in DABOV Specialty Coffee’s catalogue
2018 – Finca Ventura, Honduras Ventura, 87,5 points
2018 – Finca Valentina, Honduras Finca Valentina, 86,42 and 83,17 points
Jordan Dabov was invited to be among the judges in OSB.
Coffees awarded on OSB in DABOV Specialty Coffee’s catalogue
2018 – Finca Ventura, Honduras Ventura, 87,5 points
2018 – Finca Valentina, Honduras Finca Valentina, 86,42 and 83,17 points
Project Origin
Project Origin was created by Ona Coffee owner and 2015 barista champion Sasha Sestic. At Project Origin they work directly with famers and choose to work with farmers, exporters, and cooperatives with a positive attitude towards sustainability. They build relationships all over the world, source great coffees, and also experiment, research and share knowledge about improving farming practices in order to keep pushing quality standard higher. From each bag or box of coffee sold they allocate money to the Project Origin Fund, which is used to facilitate a variety of project in the different countries they work in. They use these funds in the communities or farms they work with in any number of ways.
DABOV Specialty Coffee works with Project Origin since 2015.
Coffees from Project Origin in DABOV Specialty Coffee’s catalogue:
2016 – Ethiopia Kochere, Colombia Valencia, Panama Gran Del Val, Rwanda Shangi
2017 – Indonesia Blue Flores , El Salvador Los Pirineos
DABOV Specialty Coffee works with Project Origin since 2015.
Coffees from Project Origin in DABOV Specialty Coffee’s catalogue:
2016 – Ethiopia Kochere, Colombia Valencia, Panama Gran Del Val, Rwanda Shangi
2017 – Indonesia Blue Flores , El Salvador Los Pirineos
Gems of Araku
Since 2009, the Naandi Foundation has been organizing the competition Gems of Araku in the picturesque Araku valley in the state of Andra Pradesh in India. During it, the world’s most renowned coffee aficionados and jurors of the Cup of Excellence programme cup and evaluate the best quality coffee produced in the region. In 2020, Sherri Johns, former ACE coordinator and Gems of Araku’s head judge, invited our own Jordan Dabov to be among the few international judges. From there Jordan has returned with 4 great coffees.
Coffees from Gems of Araku in DABOV Specialty Coffee’s catalogue:
2020 – 1st place, Gems of Araku competition – India Winner Gems of Araku 2020 – Organic
2020 – 2nd place, Gems of Araku competition, Lot 1 – India Lot 1 Gems of Araku 2020 – Organic
2020 – 3rd place, Gems of Araku competition, Lot 7 – India Lot 7 Gems of Araku 2020 – Organic
2020 – 5th place, Gems of Araku competition, Lot 2 – India Lot 2 Gems of Araku 2020 – Organic
2021 – 7th place, Gems of Araku competition, Lot 171 – India Lot 7 Gems of Araku 2021 – Organic
Coffees from Gems of Araku in DABOV Specialty Coffee’s catalogue:
2020 – 1st place, Gems of Araku competition – India Winner Gems of Araku 2020 – Organic
2020 – 2nd place, Gems of Araku competition, Lot 1 – India Lot 1 Gems of Araku 2020 – Organic
2020 – 3rd place, Gems of Araku competition, Lot 7 – India Lot 7 Gems of Araku 2020 – Organic
2020 – 5th place, Gems of Araku competition, Lot 2 – India Lot 2 Gems of Araku 2020 – Organic
2021 – 7th place, Gems of Araku competition, Lot 171 – India Lot 7 Gems of Araku 2021 – Organic
