What Is Specialty Coffee?

Specialty coffee is coffee that scores 80 points or higher on the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) 100-point scale.

These scores are given by certified Q-graders who evaluate the coffee on aroma, flavor, aftertaste, acidity, body, balance, and overall quality. Anything below 80 is considered commodity-grade. Anything 80+ is specialty.

At Cocaine Coffee, every coffee we sell scores SCA 84 or higher. Our El Flaco Grande currently sits at SCA 87.

That number isn’t marketing fluff. It is a direct reflection of how the coffee was grown, harvested, processed, and roasted.

Why SCA Scores Matter

Higher SCA scores mean:

• Better prices for farmers
• Access to specialty buyers instead of commodity markets
• Incentive to invest in quality instead of volume
• A real economic alternative to coca

Coca has historically paid better in the short term in many rural regions of Colombia. Specialty coffee is one of the few legal crops that can compete when quality is high enough.

When a farmer can consistently produce 84+ point coffee, the math starts to change. The crop becomes worth protecting. The land becomes worth improving. The next generation has a reason to stay in coffee instead of returning to coca.

Small-batch roasting means we roast coffee in limited quantities — carefully, deliberately, and with full attention — instead of in massive industrial runs.

Most commercial coffee is roasted in huge volumes where consistency is prioritized over character. Small-batch roasting is the opposite. Each batch is monitored closely so we can develop the specific flavors locked inside the beans: the sweetness, the complexity, the clarity that high-scoring Colombian coffee is capable of.

We do this roasting in Tampa, not in Colombia. That decision matters. Coffee is at its best in the weeks right after roasting. By roasting here in small batches, we can ship you coffee at peak freshness instead of beans that spent weeks or months in transit after being roasted overseas.

Because the batches are smaller and roasted locally, we can:

• Roast more frequently for maximum freshness
• Dial in the profile for each lot
• Avoid the flat, generic taste that comes from oversized production and long shipping times

The result is coffee that tastes noticeably more alive. That’s why serious specialty roasters choose small-batch methods — and why it costs more than mass-produced coffee.

When you buy from us, you’re getting high-scoring Colombian beans, roasted with intention in Tampa, in quantities small enough to matter.

All of our coffee is ethically-sourced from Colombia - the most respected coffee-producing country in the world.

Our premium beans are single-origin and come from high-altitude growing regions known for rich soil, ideal climate, and exceptional flavor profiles.

Unfortunately, the same conditions that make our coffee delicious, also provide the perfect environment for coca to flourish. It is our goal to help the community decide between the two - and leave cocaine for coffee.

Shipping Rates

FREE for orders over $49!

Otherwise, we charge $4.99 for all coffee shipments throughout the USA. Please tell us if you can find better delivery costs than that - because we haven't seen it.

*Merchandise delivery costs are variable.

Shipping Policy

We process orders as quickly as possible. Most orders ship within 1–3 business days.

Delivery Times

Delivery times are estimates only and may vary based on carrier, location, and external factors beyond our control.

Shipping Responsibility

Once an order is handed off to the carrier, responsibility for delivery transfers to the customer. We are not responsible for:

• Carrier delays
• Lost or stolen packages marked as delivered
• Incorrect or incomplete shipping addresses provided by the customer

Shipping fees are non-refundable.

Cocaine Coffee™ is a premium Colombian coffee brand built on a bold idea: replace coca production with coffee cultivation. We source high-quality (SCA 84+) Colombian coffee from regions historically associated with the drug trade, and we support the transition toward legal, sustainable coffee production.

Our name is provocative by design - but our mission is serious.

Cocaine for Coffee™ is our long-term initiative to support farmers transitioning away from coca production and into coffee cultivation.

We do this in two ways.

First, a portion of our sales goes directly to the C4C's humanitarian effort to support rural education and infrastructure in Colombia's historic coca regions.

Second, and equally important, is our commitment to source single-origin coffee beans directly from former coca fields. As the movement grows, our goal is to deepen community ties and expand our farms to support sustainable livelihoods.

And last, but not least, a portion of our proceeds is donated to drug-rehabilitation centers in our local Tampa community.

Our first organic roast - Cocaine Coffee's ORGANIC Clean Bean - will be available in August 2026.

While we cannot legally claim organic on our other coffees, many of them are grown using organic or low-intervention practices.

Regardless of the label, we will always prioritize quality, traceability, and responsible farming.

Cocaine Coffee™ is proud to announce the launch of our high-caffeine roast in November 2026. We are also excited to report that it is certified ORGANIC and available in 10g pods for K-CupⓇ.

Currently, El Flaco Grande contains the highest caffeine content, followed by The O.G. and The Morning Fix.

There are no additives, just natural caffeine from premium Colombian coffee.

Due to the nature of the product, all coffee sales are final. We cannot accept returns or exchanges. Refunds are considered on an individual basis and left to our discretion.

This policy exists to ensure:

• Product safety and freshness
• Compliance with food safety regulations

If your order arrives damaged or Incorrect due to our error, please contact us at orders@cocainecoffee.com within 7 days of delivery with:

• Your order number
• Clear photos of the issue

Upon receipt of order number and photos, a replacement or reimbursement may be issued at the discretion of Cocaine Coffee™.

Reach us anytime by email: orders@cocainecoffee.com