The Slovenia Sensory Cup 2025 took place this year as part of the Vrhnika Coffee Festival, offering a stage where skill, focus, and sensory perception came together. While the festival itself gathered a wide audience of coffee enthusiasts, the Slovenia Sensory Cup – organized by SCA Slovenia (ZSKS) – stood out as one of its key highlights.
A Championship Open to All
The Sensory Cup is notable for its inclusivity. Unlike competitions that are limited to professionals or country nationals, this format invites both baristas and dedicated coffee aficionados from the region to test their abilities. In 2025, eight competitors took on the challenge, motivated by both the €1,000 prize fund and the chance to demonstrate their sensory precision in front of peers and industry figures.
The Format
The competition followed the established cup tasting format: eight triangulations to be solved within 10 minutes. Each triangulation presents three cups, two of which are identical and one different. Competitors must identify the odd cup, relying on their training, palate, speed, and concentration. Though the rules are straightforward, the task requires consistency and calm under time pressure.
Results
The 2025 edition crowned Luka Banovic of banibeans.si as Champion, highlighting his sharp performance across all triangulations. Sebastian Ivanec of R&B Coffee Roasters secured the Vice-Champion position, while Sabin Alexandru Minea of Mala Prazarna achieved Bronze. This ranking underscored the high level of competition and the growing expertise within Slovenia’s specialty coffee scene.
Beyond the Stage
Events like the Sensory Cup are not only about titles and bragging rites. They serve as valuable platforms for knowledge exchange, professional insights, and networking. Competitors and attendees alike gain opportunities to refine their skills, share approaches, and expand their understanding of sensory evaluation. In this way, participation itself – regardless of the final score – becomes an important step in professional growth.
Community and Support
The 2025 event benefited from strong backing by partners and sponsors: SpecialtyKava.si, Coffeetime.si, Escobar Coffee Roasters, Vrhnika Tourism Board, Barista Hustle, and Coffers green coffee trader. Their involvement contributed not only to the logistics and prize fund but also to positioning the competition as a recognized and respected part of Slovenia’s specialty coffee calendar.
Significance
The Slovenia Sensory Cup 2025 reaffirmed the increasing role of championships in fostering a deeper culture of coffee appreciation in the country. By opening the stage to both professionals and enthusiasts, and by embedding itself in the broader Vrhnika Coffee Festival, the event continues to strengthen Slovenia’s presence on the specialty coffee map. It demonstrated that precision tasting is not merely a technical exercise but a pathway to collaboration, growth, and long-term community building.
We are proud that specialtykava.si could support the organization of the championship.
We invite future competitors and champions to train with us during our Sensory Training and Coffee Tasting courses.
