secret weapon espresso at the global coffee awards

In August, I was honoured to be asked to participate in this year’s North American Global Coffee Awards, held in Houston, Texas. I was given the opportunity to send one blended roast to be judged among the best coffees in the USA and Canada. I decided to submit my Secret Weapon Espresso in the “classic espresso” category, which is designed to recognize well-executed darker and classic roasts.

It was a great experience to represent White Rock and have our coffee tasted alongside some of the best coffees on the continent. Over 230 different roasts were double-blind tasted and considered for the gold, silver, and bronze awards. And while Secret Weapon didn’t place this year, we did receive an Honourable Mention, and the judges had this to say about our espresso roast:

 Dark chocolate and toasted grains led this coffee, with cacao nibs, raisin, pepper, and molasses character through a full and smooth body. The judging panel enjoyed the flavour on offer, noting that the cup didn’t tip into excessive bitterness, with sweetness running through the entire cup.

As Parliament Roasting continues to grow and new opportunities emerge to get my coffee to your doors, I’m grateful to participate with organizations like the Global Coffee Awards, to step out and have our coffee recognized globally is a great honour.

If you’re interested in learning more or checking out the winners of the Canada/USA Global Coffee Awards visit: https://globalcoffeeawards.com/winners-us-canada-2026/