A Gold Medal, and the Farmer Who Grew It
We were thrilled to see the results of the 2026 Global Coffee Awards! Our Colombia Diego Parra Beltrán Pink Bourbon took the Gold Medal in the Filter / Single Origin category. It was the only Gold awarded there. Our Costa Rica Las Lajas Perla Negra Natural also earned an Honorable Mention in the Filter / Natural category.
Here's how the judging works. In August, an international panel of certified coffee judges met in Houston and tasted coffees from roasters across the US and Canada, double-blind. They didn't know whose coffee they were drinking or where it came from. They scored only what was in the cup. Each subcategory gets just one Gold, Silver, Bronze and Honorable Mention.
What the judges tasted
After the competition, the judges send every roaster written notes on each coffee. Here's what they wrote about Diego's Pink Bourbon:
"This coffee's flavor and sweetness were the standout qualities for the judges, built around strawberry, apricot jam and red apple, lifted by lively lime acidity. The judges loved the well structured balance and lingering sweet finish, calling the whole cup sparkling and incredible."
Each report also has a section on how the roast could improve. For this coffee, that section said:
"An exceptional and flawlessly balanced roast. The judges had no notes to offer, letting this coffee's fruit-forward complexity and velvety body shine completely on their own."
It's rare to get feedback with nothing to fix. We're proud of it. But a roaster can only bring out what a farmer has already grown into the coffee, so the credit for this medal starts in Colombia.
Diego's coffee
Diego Parra Beltrán grows Pink Bourbon in Huila, Colombia. It's a rare variety, prized for its bright, layered sweetness and hard to grow well. His lot reached us through Génesis Coffee and our longtime importing partners at Cafe Imports. When we told him about the medal, he sent this note, which Omar Herrera of Cafe Imports passed along from the field:
"We are very happy to receive this recognition and, above all, to see how our work, dedication, and passion for coffee are reflected in this achievement that we share with our customers, Génesis Coffee and Café Imports, who have also done an incredible job. They gave us their trust and support, helping our coffee reach other countries.
We would also like to recognize our customer Evans Brothers, who carefully roasted our coffee, highlighting its quality and helping bring it to this great achievement and recognition.
It fills us with pride to know that our coffee continues to travel farther and farther, and that behind every cup, we are building stories, connections, and relationships. This recognition motivates us to continue working with the same love and commitment, bringing our coffee and our culture to more countries."
— Diego Parra Beltrán
Behind every cup, we are building stories, connections, and relationships. We couldn't have said it better. A cup of coffee in Sandpoint or Coeur d'Alene connects you to a family farm thousands of miles away, and a medal is a nice way to make that connection visible.
The honest part: it's gone
Pink Bourbon lots like Diego's are tiny, and ours has sold through. We're already working with Cafe Imports on next year's harvest from Diego, expected in spring 2027. Subscribe to our Bright & Fruity Roaster's Choice subscription and you'll be the first to know when it's back.
In March, roasters and the producers behind their coffees are invited to the Global Coffee Awards ceremony in Chiapas, Mexico. We hope to share that table with Diego.
The one you can drink right now
Our Honorable Mention coffee is on the shelf today. The Costa Rica Las Lajas Perla Negra Natural comes from Oscar and Francisca Chacón of Finca Las Lajas, a family Randy, Daniel, Rick and several other team members have visited on their farm. The judges described a "punchy, sweet start" of strawberry and lemon juice, "backed by dark chocolate, cacao nibs, dark cherry and dried orange peel through the finish," and "a lingering and pleasant cup overall." Shop Las Lajas Perla Negra
Where this fits
Since 2009 we've tried to do one thing well: find exceptional coffee from people we know, and roast it with care. This medal joins four Good Food Awards (2013, 2016, 2023, 2024), a 3rd-place national finish in USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice for Best Independent Coffee Shop, and every Best Coffee in Bonner County vote since 2013. But the part we care about most is the relationship, and that starts on the farm.
Thanks for drinking with us. Here's to Diego, to the Chacóns, and to next year's harvest.
