In August, our coffees sat on a cupping table in Houston next to coffees from roasters all over the US and Canada. No names, no logos, no bags. An independent panel of Cup of Excellence judges and Q Graders tasted every cup completely blind.
When the results came in, Phil & Sebastian had been named the Overall National Winner for Canada at the 2026 Global Coffee Awards. Five of our coffees picked up six awards across espresso, filter and milk drinks. Here they are, along with what the judges tasted.
Overall National Winner
Canada 2026
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1Gold
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3Silver
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1Bronze
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1Finalist
The award winners
Five coffees, six awards
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Gold · Espresso
Single Origin ExperimentalBronze · Flat White Dairy
ExperimentalCandy Cloud Espresso
Morkie 72 Hour Anaerobic Natural · Alo Coffee, Sidama, Ethiopia
This lot came from Morkie, the smallest station Tamiru Tadesse and his wife Messi run at Alo Coffee. Whole cherries rest in sealed barrels for 72 hours, then dry in the sun for 15 to 25 days.
The judges found grape, blueberry, peach, jasmine and black tea, with a juicy, syrupy body. In their words: “A wonderful and vibrant espresso.”
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Silver · Filter
GeishaBlack Jaguar Geisha Natural
Uncommon Collection No. 31 · Ratibor and Tessie Hartmann, Finca Guarumo, Panama
Sebastian first met Ratibor Hartmann in Panama in 2011. Black Jaguar comes from one small corner of Finca Guarumo, and this lot was dried in a darkroom. It was our highest-scoring coffee in the competition.
Intense florals, peach and Concord grape juice over a silky, custard-like body. The judges called it “a genuinely fun and delightful cup.”
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Silver · Filter
WashedFinca La Negrita Red Geisha Washed
Uncommon Collection No. 28 · Mauricio Shattah, Finca La Negrita, Colombia
Grown at 1,950 metres in Tolima and processed with the kind of precision we have come to expect from Mauricio.
Candy apple, red grape juice and dried apricot, with a low-acidity, lingering finish. The judges called it “a beautifully balanced and very special cup.”
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Silver · Filter
Classic Roast ProfileAlter Ego
MICEPA, Chirripó, Costa Rica
One of our longest-running coffees. The lot we entered came from MICEPA, five families who process their coffee together on the slopes of Cerro Chirripó, Costa Rica’s highest mountain.
Cocoa nib, bright citrus and roasted almond. The judges loved how the acidity popped for a classic roast, with a smooth mouthfeel and no ashiness or smoke.
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Finalist · Espresso
Classic Roast ProfileDoppelgänger Espresso
MICEPA, Chirripó, Costa Rica
Alter Ego’s espresso twin, roasted from the same MICEPA lot.
Lemon, graham cracker, dark chocolate and caramel apple. “A comforting and well balanced espresso.”
“One of the things I lament about the coffee industry is how much a coffee roaster’s reputation can shape the perception of their quality. I’m excited about competitions like the Global Coffee Awards because they allow us, as coffee roasters, to be evaluated more objectively, decoupled from our reputation and popularity, and based solely on the quality of the coffee itself.”
Phil Robertson, Co-Founder
How the judging works
Blind, start to finish
- Double-blindJudges never know whose coffee is in the cup, or what it is.
- Expert panelCup of Excellence judges and certified Q Graders, in Houston on August 10 and 11.
- Every attributeAroma, flavour, aftertaste, acidity, body, sweetness, balance and the overall cup.
Last year, our Jose Joaquin Bolaños Geisha took Gold in the very first Global Coffee Awards. This year’s results belong to a lot of people: Tamiru and Messi at Alo Coffee, Ratibor and Tessie Hartmann, Mauricio Shattah, the MICEPA families, and our roasting team here in Calgary. Thank you.
