Every lot. Professionally evaluated.Published in full.
Most coffee brands describe their coffee with adjectives. We use numbers. Both Novelo flagship lots were professionally evaluated on June 14, 2026 at an SCA Premier Training Campus — one of the only SCA Premier Training Campuses in Ontario, Canada.
The SCA quality scale, in context.
For context — the global average SCA score for coffee sold as specialty is approximately 82 to 83. Both Novelo lots exceed this benchmark by 4 to 6 points.
The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) cupping protocol is the global standard for evaluating coffee quality. A score of 80 or above qualifies as specialty grade. A score of 85 or above is considered exceptional. Both Novelo flagship lots were evaluated on June 14, 2026 at an SCA Premier Training Campus in Ontario — by a certified professional Q-grader and approved by a certified CQI Q-Instructor.
Mist · Honey Wash
| Attribute | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fragrance / Aroma | 8.25 | Winey, Champagne, Red Grape, Raisin — medium-high intensity |
| Flavor | 8.25 | Champagne, Winey, Raisin, Candied Cherry sweetness as cup cools |
| Aftertaste | 8.25 | Alcohol/Wine bitter but medium-high sweet |
| Acidity | 8.5 | Champagne-like with sweet support |
| Body | 8.25 | Silky body — consistent throughout temperatures |
| Balance | 8.5 | Some wine bitter finish, consistent at all temperatures |
| Uniformity | 10 | — |
| Clean Cup | 10 | — |
| Sweetness | 10 | — |
| Overall | 8.5 | Pleasant |
Pleasant and well-structured cup, consistent throughout from hot to cool.
Dawn · Highland Arabica AA
| Attribute | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fragrance / Aroma | 8 | Medium-high intense Lemon Citrus, Thyme, Sweet, hint of flower |
| Flavor | 8.25 | Lemon Citrus, Thyme, Honey sweet — transforms to tomato juice-like when cool |
| Aftertaste | 8 | Hint vegetal bitter when hot — Sweet increase as temperature cools |
| Acidity | 8.5 | Vibrant tomato-like acidity with sweetness support when cool |
| Body | 8.25 | Thin start when hot, turns juicy and full when cool |
| Balance | 8.25 | Sweetness shows more as temperature cools — cup becomes more vivid and full |
| Uniformity | 10 | — |
| Clean Cup | 10 | — |
| Sweetness | 10 | — |
| Overall | 8.25 | Cup becomes more complex and lively when temperature cools |
The cup starts off with citrus brightness, but when temperature cools, the cup changes to tomato juice-like with medium-high sweetness to support, making the cup become savory-sweet and more lively and vivid.
Third-party evaluated. Publicly published.
“We publish our grading results because transparency is not a marketing strategy for us — it is the foundation of what Novelo stands for.”