What Is Specialty Coffee?

Home  ›  Coffee Education  ›  What Is Specialty Coffee?
Specialty vs Gourmet Coffee Explained

What Is Specialty Coffee?

Wondering what specialty coffee actually means—and whether it is different from gourmet coffee? Here is how coffee is graded, why that standard matters, and what to look for when choosing better beans.

Reading time 6 minutesUpdated July 2026Reviewed by MCC Team
Jump to Quick Answer
Shop Specialty Coffee
At a glance
How specialty coffee is defined
80+
points requiredThe minimum score needed to qualify as specialty coffee.
100
point scaleThe standardized scale used to evaluate coffee quality.
No
gourmet standard“Gourmet” has no official grading requirement or governing definition.
AromaFlavorSweetnessBalance
Quick Answer
Specialty coffee is coffee that scores 80 points or higher on a 100-point scale established by the Specialty Coffee Association. Professional graders evaluate aroma, flavor, sweetness, acidity, body, balance, uniformity, cleanliness, and defects. Gourmet coffee has no official definition, so the label alone does not guarantee how the coffee was sourced, graded, or roasted.
80+Specialty threshold
100Point grading scale
NoneGourmet grading standard
Table of Contents
  1. What Does Specialty Coffee Mean?
  2. How Is Specialty Coffee Evaluated?
  3. Specialty Coffee Score Guide
  4. Common Specialty Coffee Misconceptions
  5. What Makes Great Coffee?
  6. What Does Gourmet Coffee Mean?
  7. Specialty vs Gourmet vs Commodity Coffee
  8. How to Buy Specialty Coffee
  9. Frequently Asked Questions
  10. Final Thoughts

What Does Specialty Coffee Mean?

The term specialty coffee is not just a premium-sounding label. It has an internationally recognized definition.

A coffee qualifies as specialty coffee only after it is professionally evaluated according to standards established by the Specialty Coffee Association. It must earn at least 80 points out of 100 while also meeting strict requirements for physical bean quality and minimal defects.

Specialty coffee begins with healthier coffee trees, careful harvesting, proper processing, meticulous sorting, skilled roasting, and proper brewing. Every step matters.

Unlike mass-produced commodity coffee, specialty coffee emphasizes preserving the distinctive flavors created by the farm, climate, altitude, and variety of coffee plant.

The defining standard

A coffee must score at least 80 out of 100 and meet strict physical-quality and defect requirements before it can be classified as specialty coffee.

How Is Specialty Coffee Evaluated?

Professional coffee graders—often called Q Graders—taste coffee through a standardized process known as cupping.

Each coffee receives scores for aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, sweetness, body, balance, uniformity, clean cup, and overall impression. Defects lower the score. Only coffees scoring 80 or higher qualify as specialty coffee.

What cupping measures

The process evaluates both the positive qualities in the cup and the defects that reduce quality. The final score reflects the coffee as a complete sensory experience.

Experience Specialty-Grade Coffee

Explore Montana Coffee Company’s specialty-grade blends and choose the roast profile that best fits the way you enjoy coffee.

Shop Specialty Coffee

Specialty Coffee Score Guide

The final cupping score places a coffee into a recognized quality classification. A score of 80 is the entry point for specialty coffee, while higher scores represent increasingly exceptional quality.

ScoreClassificationWhat it means
90–100OutstandingAn exceptionally rare and distinguished specialty coffee.
85–89.99ExcellentA high-quality specialty coffee with strong clarity and character.
80–84.99Very Good Specialty CoffeeMeets the recognized threshold for specialty classification.
Below 80Not Specialty CoffeeDoes not meet the minimum specialty-coffee score.

Common Specialty Coffee Misconceptions

Specialty coffee describes verified quality—not one origin, one roast level, one price point, or one style of coffee. These distinctions help separate the grading standard from common marketing assumptions.

It must be single originNo. Origin identifies where coffee was grown; the grading process determines specialty quality.
Blends cannot qualifyFalse. A blend can be specialty coffee when every coffee used in it is specialty grade.
It must be lightly roastedNo. Specialty coffee can be light, medium, medium-dark, or dark roasted.
Expensive means specialtyNo. Price alone does not determine whether a coffee meets the grading standard.
Gourmet means the same thingNo. “Gourmet” suggests an image, while “specialty” describes a verified standard.

What Makes Great Coffee?

Coffee quality depends on every step of the journey. Great green coffee can lose its potential through poor processing, roasting, storage, or brewing, while careful work at each stage protects and develops the flavors already present.

SourcingBetter growing conditions produce better coffee cherries.
ProcessingCareful processing shapes clarity, sweetness, and flavor.
RoastingSkilled roasting develops sweetness and complexity.
FreshnessFresh coffee preserves aromatics and character.
BrewingProper brewing unlocks the coffee’s full potential.

Specialty coffee is therefore more than the raw bean alone. It reflects craftsmanship and attention from farm to cup.

What Does Gourmet Coffee Mean?

Marketing description

Gourmet Coffee

“Gourmet” has no governing organization and no grading standard. Anyone can use the term, so it may suggest premium quality without guaranteeing how the coffee was sourced, graded, or roasted.

Verified quality standard

Specialty Coffee

“Specialty” refers to coffee that has been professionally evaluated, meets physical-quality requirements, and earns at least 80 points on the recognized 100-point scale.

Put simply, gourmet describes an image, while specialty describes a measurable standard. All specialty coffee may reasonably be described as gourmet, but not all coffee marketed as gourmet qualifies as specialty coffee.

Specialty vs Gourmet vs Commodity Coffee

The three terms describe very different ideas. Specialty coffee is tied to verified quality. Gourmet coffee is an unregulated marketing description. Commodity coffee is generally produced for consistency, volume, and low cost.

Comparison factorSpecialty coffeeGourmet coffeeCommodity coffee
Official definitionYes—recognized quality standardNo official definitionCommercial market category
Grading requirementMust score 80+ and meet quality requirementsNo required scoreNot classified as specialty
Primary emphasisFlavor, quality, transparency, and craftsmanshipPremium positioning or experienceConsistency, volume, and low cost
Quality guaranteeSupported by professional evaluationThe label alone is not a guaranteeBuilt around broad commercial consistency
Typical approachBetter sourcing, careful processing, skilled roasting, freshness, and proper brewingVaries by sellerMass-produced for scale

How to Buy Specialty Coffee

When choosing specialty coffee, look beyond broad words such as “premium” or “gourmet.” Those terms may sound reassuring, but they do not confirm that the coffee was professionally graded.

Look for a roast date, buy whole bean whenever possible, learn about the company behind the coffee, and choose a roast and flavor profile that fit your personal preferences. Quality matters, but the best coffee for you should also match the way you like to brew and drink it.

Montana Coffee Company offers carefully crafted specialty-grade blends designed to provide balanced, consistent flavor in every bag.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some Starbucks coffees may begin as specialty-grade green coffee, but the company does not generally market coffee by SCA score.
No. Price alone does not determine quality or confirm that a coffee meets the specialty grading standard.
Better farming, processing, roasting, freshness, and brewing can preserve and develop more sweetness, balance, aroma, and flavor complexity.
Not necessarily. Health depends more on preparation and additives than on whether the coffee is classified as specialty.
No. Single origin identifies where the coffee was grown. The professional grading process—not origin alone—determines whether it qualifies as specialty coffee.
Yes. When every coffee used in a blend is specialty grade, the finished blend can also be considered specialty coffee.

Final Thoughts

Specialty coffee is not about fancy labels. It is about verified quality, transparency, and craftsmanship from farm to cup.

While gourmet coffee can describe an enjoyable or premium experience, specialty coffee represents a measurable standard recognized throughout the coffee industry. At Montana Coffee Company, that is the standard we strive for in every roast—delivering specialty-grade beans roasted in small batches for exceptional freshness and flavor.

Continue Learning

Reference

Coffee Glossary

Explore coffee terms, grading language, brewing vocabulary, and definitions used throughout the Montana Coffee Company learning center.

Open the glossary
Brew Guide

Pour Over Coffee

Learn the ratio, grind size, water temperature, and pouring technique for a clean, balanced cup.

Read the guide
Brew Guide

French Press Coffee

Build a full-bodied French press recipe with the right grind, coffee-to-water ratio, and steep time.

Read the guide
Brew Guide

Cold Brew Coffee

Make smooth cold brew concentrate with an extra-coarse grind and a reliable steeping process.

Read the guide

Taste What Verified Quality Can Deliver

Explore Montana Coffee Company’s specialty-grade blends, choose the roast that fits your taste, and use the Coffee Ratio Calculator to get more from every bag.

Shop Specialty Coffee
Use the Calculator
Written and reviewed by the Montana Coffee Company team. Montana Coffee Company combines practical coffee education with experience serving customers in its Fayetteville, Tennessee café. Last updated July 2026.