From 22 to 25 October the best baristas on the planet compete in Panama City for the World Barista Championship. Australia's entry is Gabrel Tan of Veneziano Coffee Roasters, who won the national title on his fifth attempt after three second places and a third. Here is what he is walking into, how the judges score it, and why the coffee he chose tells you something about what to buy for your own bench.
The short version: 15 minutes, 12 drinks, judged on taste, cleanliness, creativity, technical skill and presentation. Tan's espresso course is a Panama Gesha. Geisha wins because of clarity and florals, and you can taste exactly that at home for $28.
How the World Barista Championship works
Every competitor gets 15 minutes. In that time they serve four espressos, four milk drinks and four signature beverages to a panel of certified judges, talking the whole way through. The judges score taste, cleanliness, creativity, technical proficiency and presentation. The top 15 from the first round plus one wild card go through to the semi-finals, and the top six from there compete in the final.
It looks like theatre. Underneath it is a test of consistency. Four espressos must taste the same. Four milk drinks must be textured the same. A single sour shot or a split microfoam shows up on the scoresheet, and in a field this tight it is the difference between a semi-final and a flight home.
Australia's competitor
Gabrel Tan is Veneziano's brand ambassador and the 2026 Australian Barista Champion. He had competed in the national final four years running, finishing runner-up three times and third once, before winning at the Australian Coffee Championships in Melbourne. His routine was built around a theme of making high-quality coffee more accessible in the countries that grow it, and he travelled to both of his producers to build the relationships behind it.
For the espresso course he chose an anaerobic natural Gesha from Janson Estate's Los Alpes Farm in Volcan, Panama. For the milk and signature courses, a carbonic maceration Lini S from Wanoja Estate in West Java. Two very different coffees for two very different jobs.
Why Gesha keeps showing up on the world stage
Gesha, also spelled Geisha, is a variety that traces back to Ethiopia and found its fame in Panama. Grown well, it tastes unlike any other coffee: jasmine and rose on the nose, stone fruit and citrus through the cup, and a long, tea-like finish. That clarity is exactly what a sensory judge is trained to find. Where a chocolatey blend hides small faults in its body, a Gesha has nowhere to hide and nothing to hide. If the roast and the extraction are right, every note lands.
It is also why Gesha is almost always a filter coffee, not an espresso. Espresso pressure tends to mute the delicate florals. Competitors like Tan pull it as espresso because they have weeks of dialling in and a grinder worth more than a small car. At home, treat it as a filter coffee and it will reward you.
How to taste it yourself
You do not need a ticket to Panama. Our Colombia Geisha from Jairo Arcila is a washed, single-producer microlot with the classic profile: rose and jasmine on the aroma, cherry through the body, lime on the finish. Brew it black, no milk, no sugar, as a V60 at 1:17 with water at 92 to 94 degrees, or in an AeroPress with 15g of coffee and 220g of water at 85 degrees. Our V60 guide and AeroPress guide have the full method.
What to taste for, in the order a judge would: aroma first, before you sip. Then acidity, which in a Gesha should be bright and clean, not sour. Then sweetness and body in the middle. Then how long the finish lasts after you swallow. A good Gesha lingers.
If you want to go further, our Santa Monica took silver at the 2024 Golden Bean, judged by people who taste coffee for a living, which is the closest thing to a competition scoresheet you can buy.
Quick facts
Event World Barista Championship, World of Coffee Panama, Panama City
Dates 22 to 25 October 2026
Format 15 minutes, 4 espressos, 4 milk drinks, 4 signature beverages
Judged on Taste, cleanliness, creativity, technical proficiency, presentation
Australia's competitor Gabrel Tan, Veneziano Coffee Roasters, 2026 Australian Barista Champion
His espresso coffee Anaerobic natural Gesha, Janson Estate, Volcan, Panama
Taste the style at home Colombia Geisha, Jairo Arcila, washed, $28
Common questions
When is the 2026 World Barista Championship?
22 to 25 October 2026 at World of Coffee Panama in Panama City. Australia is represented by Gabrel Tan of Veneziano Coffee Roasters.
What is the difference between Gesha and Geisha?
Same variety, two spellings. Gesha refers to the Ethiopian region the variety came from, and many producers and competitors use it. Geisha is the spelling that became common after the variety's rise in Panama. We use Geisha on our Colombian microlot.
Can I make Geisha as espresso at home?
You can, but we do not recommend it. Espresso pressure mutes the florals and citrus that make the coffee special. Brew it as a V60, Chemex or AeroPress and drink it black.
Why is Geisha more expensive than other coffee?
Low yields, careful picking and processing, and demand from competitions and specialty roasters worldwide. Our Colombia Geisha is a limited microlot, and when it is gone it is gone until next season.
Taste what the judges taste. Colombia Geisha, Jairo Arcila, roasted this week in Hurstville, free shipping over $80.
Sources: World Coffee Championships (format and dates). Veneziano Coffee Roasters (competitor and coffee details). BeanScene.
