Cup of Excellence Peru 2026 is around the corner. The international jury cups the finalists from 3 to 6 November, and the winning lots go to auction on 8 December 2026. This year the competition has a new format, with three separate categories instead of one ranking.
Here is what changes, what last year's results tell us, and what we will be watching for.
Key Dates
| What | When |
|---|---|
| International jury week | 3 to 6 November 2026 |
| Cup of Excellence auction | 8 December 2026, 13:00 UTC |
| National Winner auction | 7 to 11 December 2026 |
Source: Alliance for Coffee Excellence, Peru 2026.
What Is New in 2026: Three Categories
Until now, every coffee in Cup of Excellence Peru competed in one ranking. In 2026 the competition is split by process:
- Traditional washed and honey. Washed coffees are known for clarity and acidity, honey coffees for a sweeter, rounder profile.
- Traditional natural. Coffees dried with the fruit intact, usually fruitier and heavier.
- Experimental. New processing techniques designed to create more complex or unusual flavours.
The top 10 coffees in each category win, as long as they score 87 points or more. Every winning coffee is cupped at least five times along the way. For a closer look at how the competition works, read What Is Cup of Excellence?
Looking Back: Cup of Excellence Peru 2025
Last year's top ten, with the price each lot reached at auction on 2 December 2025:
| Rank | Farm | Region | Variety | Process | Score | Price per lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | La Catarata | Cajamarca | Geisha | Washed | 90.64 | US$80.10 |
| 2 | Finca La Ponderoza | Cajamarca | Geisha | Washed | 90.42 | US$60.00 to 69.00 |
| 3 | Llaqta Pata | Cusco | SL-09 | Washed | 89.97 | US$46.10 |
| 4 | La Encantada | Cusco | SL-09 | Natural | 89.86 | US$31.10 |
| 5 | Nueva Alianza | Cusco | Geisha Amarilla | Washed | 89.86 | US$32.70 |
| 6 | Corralpampa | Cusco | Geisha | Washed | 89.86 | US$32.30 |
| 7 | La Miel | Cajamarca | Geisha | Washed | 89.69 | US$36.30 |
| 8 | Wallwayoq | Cusco | Geisha | Washed | 88.75 | US$30.10 |
| 9 | Finca's Remi | Junín | Geisha | Honey | 88.39 | US$18.40 |
| 10 | Seb | Piura | Geisha | Natural | 88.28 | US$20.10 |
Source: Alliance for Coffee Excellence, Peru 2025. The winning lot was split in two and bought by La Cabra and Camel Coffee.
Three things stand out:
- Cajamarca took the top, Cusco took the depth. The only two lots above 90 points came from Cajamarca, while Cusco filled places 3 to 6 and had more winning lots than any other region.
- SL-09 came within a whisker of the top. Two SL-09 lots from Cusco placed third and fourth, less than 0.7 points behind the winner. For a variety many people still call "Inca Gesha", that is a strong showing. We explain the difference in SL09 vs Gesha.
- Process did not decide the ranking. The natural SL-09 in fourth place scored exactly the same as the washed lots in fifth and sixth.
Four Things We Will Be Watching in 2026
- Cusco or Cajamarca? Cajamarca has the two highest scores from 2025. Cusco has the most winning lots. With three categories, both regions get more chances at the top.
- Naturals in their own category. In 2025, natural lots had to beat washed coffees to win. Now they compete with each other, which could bring more fruit-forward Peruvian coffees to the auction.
- SL-09. After third and fourth place in 2025, we expect more SL-09 entries from Cusco, both washed and natural.
- Prices. The 2025 winner sold for US$80.10 per lb. It will be interesting to see whether three categories spread the bidding or push the top lots higher.
Where Our Coffee Fits In
All our current coffees come from Dwight Aguilar Masias at Finca Nueva Alianza in Santa Teresa, Cusco. Dwight won Cup of Excellence Peru in 2018 and 2021 with washed Gesha, and his yellow Gesha placed fifth in 2025. You can read his story in Who Is Dwight Aguilar Masias?
To be clear about what that means: Cup of Excellence ranks individual lots, and the winning lots are sold at auction. Our bags come from the same farm and, for the Yellow Gesha, the same harvest that placed fifth, but they are not the auction lots themselves.
We will update this article with the 2026 results after the auction on 8 December.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Cup of Excellence Peru 2026?
The international jury cups the coffees from 3 to 6 November 2026, and the auction takes place on 8 December 2026 at 13:00 UTC.
What are the categories in Cup of Excellence Peru 2026?
Three: traditional washed and honey, traditional natural, and experimental. The top 10 coffees in each category scoring 87 points or more win.
Who won Cup of Excellence Peru 2025?
La Catarata, a farm in Cajamarca run by Angel Antonio Manosalva Palomino, with a washed Geisha scoring 90.64. It sold for US$80.10 per lb.
Which region in Peru produces the best specialty coffee?
There is no single answer. In Cup of Excellence Peru 2025, Cajamarca had the two highest scores, while Cusco had more winning lots than any other region.
Is SL-09 the same as Inca Gesha?
SL-09 is often sold as "Inca Gesha" in Peru, but it is a different variety. In Cup of Excellence Peru 2025, two SL-09 lots from Cusco placed third and fourth.
