BeansPerfect Daily Grind
Non-Gesha varieties are taking Cup of Excellence top spots even as Gesha dominates barista stages
Perfect Daily Grind reviews the 2026 competition season and finds a split: most finalists at the 2025 World Barista Championship and 2026 World Brewers Cup still used Gesha (often blended with other varieties), but at Cup of Excellence the winners were a Bernardina at Finca La Esperanza in El Salvador (91.95 points), a Parainema in Honduras and a washed Java in Costa Rica. Gesha still holds the most category titles overall, but locally adapted and landrace varieties are beating it on the cupping table.
Why it matters: If you buy competition lots, Bernardina, Parainema and Java are now the varieties to try; they cup at Gesha level and sell for far less at auction.