Updated: September 2026.
The SCA coffee score is a 0-100 rating awarded by a certified cupper (Q Grader) following the Specialty Coffee Association cupping protocol. It evaluates ten sensory attributes such as aroma, flavor, acidity, body and sweetness. A coffee qualifies as specialty coffee when it scores 80 points or more; below that, it is considered commercial coffee.
Every time you see "SCA 80+" on a bag of coffee, you are looking at the result of a standardized evaluation process with more than four decades of history. It is not a marketing seal or a self-awarded label. It is the technical certification that defines which coffee can be called specialty coffee and which cannot. This article explains how it works.
What the SCA Is and Where the Standard Comes From
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) is the international association that brings together producers, roasters, baristas, importers and cuppers in the specialty coffee segment worldwide. It was founded in 1982 — originally as the SCAA in the United States — and has since developed the technical protocols that standardize the industry.
Its most important contribution was the SCAA Cupping Protocol, the formal cupping method that allows a coffee evaluated in Yirgacheffe (Ethiopia), Antigua (Guatemala) or Ciudad Bolívar (Antioquia) to be measured with the same criteria and compared. That protocol is what we now call the "SCA scale." Since 2024, the SCA has been introducing a complementary system, the Coffee Value Assessment (CVA), but the 100-point scale and the 80-point threshold remain the commercial benchmark worldwide.
What Does an SCA Score of 80 Points or More Mean?
The SCA scale runs from 0 to 100. A coffee enters the specialty range when it scores above 80 points. Below 80, it is consumer or commercial coffee. If you want the full picture of what specialty coffee is beyond the score, we cover it in another article. That line isn't arbitrary: it reflects a set of characteristics that a certified cupper can objectively detect in a standard professional cupping.
| SCA score | Category | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Below 80 | Commercial coffee | Mass-market coffee; may have defects or a flat profile. |
| 80 – 84.99 | Specialty, very good | Meets the SCA standard; clean and balanced, without standing out from the segment average. |
| 85 – 89.99 | Specialty, excellent | Premium microlots with distinctive profiles and limited availability. |
| 90 – 100 | Specialty, exceptional | The territory of international auctions (Cup of Excellence) and varieties such as Geisha. |
The coffees in Green Hills' Colombian specialty coffee collection score between 83 and 88 points. The highest scores belong to our premium coffee line, led by Gold Coffee — a blend of Geisha, Wush Wush and Java.
Who Awards the SCA Score? The Role of the Q Grader
An SCA score is only valid if it is awarded by a certified cupper. The most demanding certification in the industry is the Q Grader, granted by the Coffee Quality Institute (CQI). To earn it, a cupper must pass 22 exams covering everything from coffee chemistry to blind cupping of dozens of origins, defect detection, fragrance and aroma evaluation, and the identification of organic acids.
In Colombia, the National Federation of Coffee Growers (FNC) also trains Q Graders. When a coffee's SCA score is backed by a certified Q Grader, that number is internationally comparable and carries real commercial weight. When it appears without a cupper's signature, it's marketing.
The 10 Attributes Evaluated in an SCA Cupping
The SCA protocol measures ten sensory attributes, each on a scale of 6 to 10 (or with penalty categories for uniformity, clean cup and sweetness). The final sum determines the score out of 100.
1. Fragrance and aroma
Evaluated first on the dry ground coffee (fragrance) and then after contact with hot water (aroma). It measures the intensity and quality of the volatile compounds the bean releases.
2. Flavor
The set of notes the cupper perceives in the mouth and nose. It is the most complex attribute to evaluate and usually the one that most differentiates coffees.
3. Aftertaste
The persistence and quality of the flavors that remain after swallowing (or spitting, in professional cupping). A good aftertaste lingers without metallic or bitter notes.
4. Acidity
Not the sour sensation of something spoiled, but the liveliness, brightness and citrus or malic sensation that distinguishes high-altitude coffees. Well-structured acidity is one of the clearest markers of specialty coffee. Coffees grown above 1,700 meters (5,600 ft), like those from our Hacienda Las Mercedes, naturally have higher acidity.
5. Body
The tactile sensation of the liquid in the mouth. It can be light (tea-like), medium (like white wine) or dense (cream-like). Body depends mainly on the processing method. Natural Coffee tends to have a denser body; washed coffee, a cleaner one.
6. Uniformity
In a cupping, 5 cups from the same lot are tasted. Uniformity measures whether the 5 cups are consistent with each other. A cup with a different profile lowers the score. It reflects the homogeneity of the lot.
7. Balance
The equilibrium between acidity, sweetness, body and flavor. A coffee can have very high acidity or a very dense body and still be excellent, but if the attributes are out of proportion, the cupper penalizes the balance.
8. Clean cup
The absence of unwanted flavors or sensory defects. Any trace of uncontrolled fermentation, mold, smokiness or poorly managed astringency lowers the clean cup score.
9. Sweetness
The natural presence of sugars in the cup without adding any sweetener. It is one of the most sought-after attributes and the one that most differentiates a well-processed high-altitude coffee from a commercial one. Processes like honey — see our Honey Coffee — enhance this attribute.
10. Overall
The cupper's subjective appreciation of the coffee as a whole. It is the only attribute that isn't purely technical: it reflects the final professional judgment.
Where a High SCA Score Comes From: What Happens Before Roasting
A coffee doesn't reach SCA 85+ by chance. It is the cumulative result of decisions made on the farm months before roasting:
- The right botanical variety for the specific altitude and climate.
- Selective hand-picking of cherries at the exact point of ripeness.
- A controlled processing method, with measured fermentation times and monitored temperature.
- Even drying, either in the sun with constant turning or on controlled drying beds.
- Proper storage of the green coffee to preserve its characteristics until roasting.
- Precise roasting that respects the lot's aromatic profile without masking it.
A single weak link in that chain can drop a lot from 87 to 82, or push it out of the specialty segment altogether. That's why the coffees in Green Hills' Colombian specialty coffee collection are evaluated lot by lot: those that don't pass the threshold aren't sold under that label.
How to Check the SCA Score of a Coffee You're Buying
These are the signs that a declared score is serious:
- It is specific to the lot, not a generic number for the whole brand. "Our coffees score between 84 and 87" carries more weight than "SCA 90" with no context.
- The cupper or entity that evaluated the lot is named (Q Grader, FNC laboratory, certified roaster).
- It comes with a sensory profile: specific tasting notes, acidity/body/sweetness profile and a recommended brewing method.
- The traceability adds up: farm, altitude, variety and process. If the score is high but there's no traceability, that's a red flag.
Frequently Asked Questions About the SCA Score
What is the SCA score of a coffee?
It is the 0-100 rating a coffee lot receives in a professional cupping under the Specialty Coffee Association protocol. It adds up the scores of ten sensory attributes and makes it possible to compare coffees from any origin with the same criteria.
How many SCA points does a coffee need to be specialty coffee?
At least 80 points out of 100, evaluated by a certified cupper, with no primary defects in the green coffee. From 80 to 84.99 it is a very good specialty coffee; from 85 to 89.99, excellent; and from 90 upward, exceptional.
Who awards the SCA score?
A cupper certified as a Q Grader by the Coffee Quality Institute, or a recognized cupping laboratory such as those of the National Federation of Coffee Growers in Colombia. A score without an identified cupper has no technical validity.
Is a 90-point coffee better than an 84-point one?
Technically yes: it shows more complexity, cleanliness and balance in the cup. In practice, the difference is most noticeable with filter methods and fresh coffee; for milk drinks or sweetened coffee, a good 83-85 point coffee offers better value.
What SCA score do Green Hills coffees have?
Between 83 and 88 points, evaluated lot by lot. The highest scores belong to the premium line, led by Gold Coffee, a blend of Geisha, Wush Wush and Java.
Conclusion: SCA 80+ Isn't Marketing, It's a Standard
The SCA score is the common language that allows specialty coffee to work as a global industry. Behind every number there is a standardized cupping protocol, a certified cupper and a chain of decisions made on the farm that back up the result. When you see SCA 80+ with real traceability, you are looking at a technical commitment, not a slogan.
A high-scoring coffee with its full story is also one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give a coffee lover.
If you want to try professionally cupped coffees with a verified SCA score, our entire specialty coffee selection scores above 80 points. We roast to order in Itagüí, Medellín, and ship the next day throughout Colombia.
Written by the Green Hills Coffee team, specialty coffee growers and roasters in Itagüí, Antioquia.
