What Is Specialty Coffee? Explained for Coffee Drinkers in the Netherlands

Specialty coffee is no longer a niche in the Netherlands. More people care about where their coffee comes from, how it is roasted, and why it tastes better than standard supermarket blends. But what does specialty coffee actually mean, and why does it matter in your cup?

This guide explains specialty coffee in practical terms, without jargon, and shows how Calt Coffee applies these principles from sourcing to roasting.

What makes coffee “specialty”?

Specialty coffee is defined by quality and transparency. To be classified as specialty, coffee must score 80 points or higher on the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) scale. That score is based on aroma, flavor clarity, sweetness, balance, and absence of defects.

Key characteristics of specialty coffee:

• Carefully selected Arabica beans

• Clear traceability to origin and producer

• Minimal defects and clean processing

• Roasted to highlight natural flavor, not hide flaws

This is fundamentally different from commodity coffee, which is blended for consistency and price rather than taste.

Specialty coffee vs supermarket coffee

The biggest differences show up in freshness and flavor.

Supermarket coffee:

• Often roasted months before purchase

• Uses darker roasts to mask defects

• Focuses on shelf life, not taste

Specialty coffee:

• Roasted in small batches

• Shipped fresh

• Designed to express origin and roast profile

If your coffee tastes flat, bitter, or hollow, freshness and bean quality are usually the reason.

Why specialty coffee tastes better

Specialty coffee focuses on:

• Proper fermentation and drying at origin

• Controlled roasting profiles

• Matching roast level to bean characteristics

Instead of generic bitterness, you taste sweetness, balance, and complexity.

How Calt Coffee applies specialty standards

At Calt Coffee, we select coffees based on quality first, then roast them to match how people actually brew at home. Each blend and single origin is roasted with a clear purpose: balance, body, or intensity.

Explore our specialty coffees:

• Flow (balanced, versatile)

• Colombia (single origin, elegant)

• Passion (dark, creamy)

• Calt Energy (powerful and intense)

Specialty coffee is not about trends. It is about doing the basics right—every step, every time.