In this episode of The Cupping Table, David Paparelli sits down with José "Pocho" Gallardo, the visionary engineer behind the world-renowned Finca Nuguo in Panama. Pocho shares his unique perspective on what it takes to master high-altitude Geisha, detailing how his background in engineering informs his approach to coffee. They discuss the "magic" of the Panamanian coffee community, where mentorship and the sharing of knowledge across generations have created a global standard for excellence. Pocho also opens up about the challenges of sustainable farming, the debate between plant stress and "happy" trees, and why he believes specialty coffee must be a full sensorial experience that offers more than just a beverage, but a connection to the land and the culture.
In this deep-dive interview, Mokhtar Alkhanshali explores the intersection of heritage, identity, and the high-stakes world of luxury coffee production at the Al-Khanshali Estate. As a self-described "third culture kid," Mokhtar discusses how his upbringing between San Francisco and Yemen allows him to act as a cultural translator, bridging ancient cultivation techniques with the modern "engineered" demands of the global specialty market. The conversation reveals the "miraculous" nature of Yemeni coffee, from the "rising phoenix" plants that survive extreme environmental stress to the vast, untapped genetic diversity found in isolated mountain terraces. Mokhtar challenges the industry's trend toward "bro coffee science" and overly fermented profiles, advocating instead for a disciplined approach that respects both the "soul" of the origin and the rigorous science required to produce a world-class cup. Beyond the technical aspects of cupping and processing, he offers a sobering perspective on the political and geopolitical realities that impact coffee farmers, arguing that the journey of a bean from a conflict zone to a luxury auction in Dubai is nothing short of a miracle. This interview is a masterclass in the evolution of coffee from a simple commodity to a respected craft, highlighting the collaborative "co-opetition" among global producers that continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in a cup.
In this episode, we are joined by Ratibor Hartmann and Tessie Palacios of Mi Finquita, a nine-hectare farm representing the third generation of the Hartmann family’s 100-year coffee legacy in Panama. We delve into their revolutionary approach to ultra-specialty coffee, focusing on their award-winning Chicho Gallo varietal—a unique Ethiopian discovery named in honor of Ratibor’s father. Ratibor and Tessie discuss the necessity of breaking traditional paradigms through technological innovation and experimental fermentation to meet the dynamic demands of a new generation of global coffee buyers and baristas. Beyond the science of processing, they share how they balance high-end craftsmanship with deep environmental stewardship and the preservation of their local terroir to ensure every lot is a worthy representative of Mi Finquita. Tune in to learn about their journey toward the upcoming Dubai Coffee Auction and how they continue to leave a "green footprint" on the planet through transparency, passion, and a commitment to excellence.
In this episode of The Cupping Table, David Paparelli sits down with Kraig Lee, the founder of Kona Farm Direct and a 30-year veteran of Hawaiian coffee farming. Fresh off a breakout year where his coffee sold for a record-breaking $910 per kilo at the Dubai coffee auction , Kraig shares the incredible journey behind Kona’s resurgence on the global stage.They dive deep into the fascinating story of how a case of mistaken identity led to the rise of SL34—originally thought to be SL28—as one of Kona's highest-scoring varietals. Kraig also opens up about the high-stakes reality of modern coffee farming, from the difficult decision to rip out acres of underperforming trees to the meticulous 72-hour anaerobic fermentation processes required to produce world-class cups.In this episode, we cover:- The Dubai Effect: How the international auction market is transforming the perception of Hawaiian coffee.- Varietal Revolution: The shift from traditional Typica to exotics like Geisha, Laurina, and Pink Bourbon.- Farming Philosophy: Why "mastering the basics" and cleanliness often matter more than high-tech data collection.- Community over Competition: How Kona farmers are collaborating to raise the bar for the entire region.Join us to see what Kraig is preparing for the upcoming January 2026 auction in Dubai.
In this episode of The Cupping Table, David sits down with Raul Rivera, the visionary behind El Salvador’s legendary Finca Santa Rosa. Raul shares the emotional journey of taking over the family farm after his father's passing and transforming it into a four-time Cup of Excellence winner. They discuss how Raul applied his corporate background in economics to coffee production, his controversial yet effective approach to plant nutrition using the "pregnant wife" analogy, and his new cooperative model designed to build equity for his employees. Finally, get a preview of the unique "hard-to-screw-up" Pacamara Honey lot Raul is submitting to the upcoming Dubai Coffee Auction.
In this episode, David sits down with Jay Ruskey, the founder of FRINJ Coffee, to discuss how he pioneered the California-grown coffee movement by transforming avocado groves into high-end coffee farms. Jay dives deep into the agronomy of coffee, explaining why stressing plants is actually a mistake, how California’s unique "latitude over altitude" climate produces distinct flavor profiles, and how he applies winemaking fermentation techniques to coffee processing. They also explore the business model behind FRINJ’s farmer-first collective and preview their upcoming Geisha lot at the Dubai auction, showcasing how a new American origin is shaking up the global specialty coffee market.
In this episode of The Cupping Table, we sit down with Jorge Castro, Director of Production at Inmaculada Coffee Farms, to discuss how an industrial engineering background helped them produce some of the world's most successful competition coffees, including the legendary Eugenioides. Jorge reveals Inmaculada's data-driven approach to experimental processing, explains why metrics like Brix and variety are often overvalued in specialty coffee, and shares his honest take on why roaster feedback on fermentation often leads to worse results. We also dive into the upcoming Colombia Legends auction and the market's evolving debate between "Old World" clean profiles versus "New World" infused innovations.
Join host David Paparelli as he sits down with Kevin Doyle, co-founder of the celebrated Colombian coffee farm, Mikava. Kevin shares the incredible journey of how a family "hobby" transformed into a world-record-breaking operation, securing a 92.71 Cup of Excellence win for a natural processed coffee. He details their "personal obsession with fermentation" , including an innovative "washed hybrid" process that was born from a complete accident , and tells the unbelievable story of perseverance after a lightning strike hit their farm building twice in the same week.
We're joined by Gabriel Agrelli, the Product and Marketing Development Director for Daterra in Brazil , a company he's been with for 16 years and one he calls a "driving force" in the Brazilian specialty coffee scene. Gabriel shares his unique journey, which started as a 13-year-old in a foundation run by the same family and grew into a "fast track" education in coffee, learning from the world's best roasters. We dive deep into how Daterra helped shatter the global paradigm that Brazilian coffee was just a low-quality "blender" , culminating in a historic 2018 World Brewers Cup win with their Laurina variety. Gabriel also unveils the powerful theme for this year's Masterpieces by Daterra auction: "Brazil Core" , a cultural celebration designed to overcome the "Mongrel Complex"—the old belief that everything from outside Brazil was better.
The Africa Fine Coffee Association (AFCA) is challenging the idea of a simple competition by relaunching Taste of Harvest as an event to celebrate the entire coffee community. AFCA Executive Director Gilbert Gatali joins The Cupping Table to discuss the vision for this continental platform and the importance of celebrating Africa's vast coffee diversity. He details how the ambition to honor everyone (from farmers to the local judges) and to introduce groundbreaking categories like specialty Robusta drove the creation of this new auction, resulting in a program that builds a stronger, interconnected community while proving its quality to the global market.
Celebrating their 10th anniversary, Clearpath Coffee founder Vicente Mejia discusses the company's idealistic origins, which focused on creating a social impact by connecting remote Colombian producing families with the global market. We also talked about "new school" innovative processing (using technology and specialized methods) and "old school" tradition (focusing on terroir and clean washed coffees) in the Colombian specialty coffee industry, including names like Nestor Lasso, Jhoan Vergara, and Wilton Benitez. Clearpath’s exclusive Colombia Legends auction features 15 of Colombia’s best farms, segmented into Heritage and Innovative Producers known for pushing boundaries. This invitation-only auction, running December 1st through the 3rd, offers a unique opportunity to taste the best of both competing philosophies, including a rare, limited-production lot of Inmaculada’s Eugenoides, a coffee known almost exclusively as a competition lot.
Finca Sophia defied skeptics by proving high-altitude Geisha farming was possible. Founding partners Willem Boot and David Pohl join The Cupping Table to discuss the 10-year waiting period and the immense risks involved in establishing an award-winning farm on the "very edge of what is possible" in Volcán, Panama. They detail how the ambition to produce coffee at unprecedented altitudes drove them to persevere through challenges like dieback fungus and perfect their lots, resulting in one of their best harvests yet.
UK's 2025 Barista Champion, Will Woodhouse-Banks, details his four-year journey culminating in preparation for the World Barista Championship (WBC). The Innovation Developer at Taylor's of Harrogate and evolved Q Grader competes not just for the title, but also for professional growth and to honor the trusted, long-term relationships he has built with coffee producers. Fresh off his UK victory, Will joins host David Paparelli to discuss how competition success drives global demand, acting as a crucial business model for producers. They discuss the evolution of the WBC score sheet to equally favor presentation and coffee quality, the value of changing routines annually, and the intense mental and physical commitment required to achieve excellence on the world stage.
For the last 25 years Longboard Coffee has produced beautiful Panamanian geisha coffees. Justin Boudeman founded Longboard through a love of Panama and a love of surfing. Over the years he took an unconventional, meticulous approach to coffee farming, that emphasized the authentic expression of the terroir. Justin sadly passed away recently. His legacy has been carried forward by his daughters Sophia and Noemi. They discuss the lessons they have learned from Justin, their own passion for coffee, and the what's next for Longboard.
Why do certain coffees get extraordinary prices? In this episode of The Cupping Table our co-founder, David Paparelli, discusses auction buying trends. The recording was done in 2024 at the Producer Roaster Forum in Guatemala. The next Producer Roaster Forum is in El Salvador in March 2026 for all interested in attending.
Enrique Navarro is a fourth generation coffee producer in Costa Rica. In this episode we discuss the evolution of the Costa Rican specialty coffee industry, the history of Monte Copey, and the innovation that Enrique is bringing to his micro mill to carry on his family's legacy.
Tamiru Tadesse founded Alo Coffee in 2020 and won Cup of Excellence in 2021. In this episode Tamiru shares his experience starting strong and navigating the complexities of Ethiopian coffee. From community to the processing methods to the cupping table to the market, Alo strives towards excellence.
Wilford Lamastus Jr. is the next generation at Lamastus Family Estates. Lamastus sold a coffee last year for $13k USD per kilogram. It takes more than excellent quality coffee to get to that price. In this episode Wilford Jr. shares his experience in the Best of Panama competition, the future of his family's estates, and his vision for the emerging luxury class of coffee.
Julith and Hacienda La Esmeralda meet for the first time in this episode. An interesting conversation on any day, but Julith and Esmeralda just made history. Serkan of Julith won Rachel Peterson and the Esmeralda team's geisha washed, the best coffee ever produced, on auction for $30k USD per kilogram for a total purchase of over $600k USD for just 20 kilograms of coffee. This breaks the previous price record by almost 3X. Rachel and Serkan reflect on the experience.
21 years ago Hacienda La Esmeralda became synonymous with Geisha coffee. Rachel tells the remarkable story of what led to Esmeralda's historic "Triple Crown" victory at the Best of Panama competition. For the first time, a single farm won first place for its Natural, Washed, and varietal coffees, building on the Peterson family's legacy in specialty coffee production.