SCA 86-plus Kintamani Arabica means a cupping score above the specialty threshold of 80, verified only on a lot’s own cupping report — never assumed from a region name. Heading into 2027, dated 2026 signals suggest more washed and natural Kintamani microlots reaching the 84–87+ band that premium specialty roasters chase.
Treat what follows as an outlook, not a prediction. Nobody can promise a 2027 harvest will cup higher than 2026, and no honest exporter guarantees a score before a lot is picked, processed and graded. What we can do is read the dated signals visible as of mid-2026 and map where the high end of Kintamani — grown in the Kintamani Highlands of Bangli Regency, north-east Bali — is heading.
What does an “SCA 86+” score actually certify — and what it doesn’t?
An SCA score is a number a licensed grader writes down after cupping one specific sample against the Specialty Coffee Association protocol. It certifies that sample: its fragrance, flavour, acidity, body, balance and aftertaste on the day it was cupped. It does not certify a farm, a village, a cooperative, or “Kintamani” as a whole.
That distinction matters most at the 86+ tier, because this is where prices jump and where fabricated scores creep in. A bag stamped “Ulian Village” or “Catur Village” tells you the growing place on the spec sheet. It does not tell you the cup score. Only the lot’s cupping report or COA does that.
When you shortlist the best specialty Kintamani lots, read the scoresheet before the origin story, and re-cup your own sample.
| SCA band | Tier | Typical Kintamani profile | Indicative FOB 2026 (subject to change) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below 80 | Commodity / off-grade | Blended, higher defect count | ~USD 3.5–6/kg |
| 82–84 | Washed Grade 1 specialty | Screen 16+, bright citrus, clean | USD 8–11/kg |
| 84–87+ | Microlot / natural / honey | Differentiated, fruit-forward | USD 10–15+/kg |
| Rare extreme lots | Competition-grade | Small volume, distinct terroir | Above the band; quote per lot |
All figures are indicative FOB as of 2026 and move with harvest, quality and score. A quote confirms grade, cupping score, lot size and MOQ before anything is contractual.
Which dated 2026 signals point toward more 86+ Kintamani lots in 2027?
Several 2026 developments, read together, tilt the odds toward more high-scoring Kintamani reaching export desks in 2027. None guarantees a score — they widen the pool of lots that could grade well.
| Dated 2026 signal | Why it matters for 86+ in 2027 |
|---|---|
| Export factsheets confirming a May–October main harvest | Gives roasters a clear window to pre-book containers and pull samples before the best lots are committed |
| More smallholders producing separated naturals (100% sun-dried on raised beds) and honey (mucilage-on, shade-dried) micro-lots | Process separation is where Kintamani gains cup complexity and crosses from 82–84 into the 84–87+ band |
| Kintamani’s Geographical Indication and organised Subak Abian farmer groups | Traceable, single-village lots are easier to isolate, cup and price as differentiated microlots |
| EUDR bringing coffee in-scope for the EU market | Buyers reward documented, plot-level lots — the same discipline that supports careful processing and higher scores |
| Listings citing screen 17–18 retention and defect value max 11 | Larger, cleaner beans give graders more to reward on the physical and cup evaluation |
The honest read: 2027 could see a wider spread of 86+ offerings, but each one still lives or dies on its own scoresheet.
How do washed, natural, and honey Kintamani lots climb into the 86+ band?
Kintamani is usually wet-processed (washed), which produces the clean, bright-citrus cup the region is known for — often landing in the 82–84 range for solid Grade 1 material. The lots that push past 86 tend to be the ones where a smallholder has controlled a differentiated process.
Here is what typically separates a high-scoring lot from a commodity one:
- Process: natural (100% sun-dried on raised beds) and honey (mucilage-on, shade-dried) lots add fruit and body; semi-washed (wet-hulled after mucilage) is a distinct fourth style.
- Screen size: current export listings state screen 15–19, with specialty suitability at screen 16 or above and a high proportion retained on screen 17–18.
- Moisture: graded at max 13% for stability in transit.
- Defect value: max 11 on Grade 1 listings, with triple-picked (Grade 1 TP) lots cited for a cleaner cup.
- Altitude: reported cultivation across sources ranges from 1,000–1,500 m up to 1,300–1,600 m a.s.l. for some lots, feeding the density that graders reward.
None of these guarantees an 86. They are the levers that make an 86 possible, and the reason two lots from the same regency can score four points apart.
What might premium roasters pay for 86+ Kintamani through 2027?
As of 2026, the indicative FOB band is one figure across the market: washed Grade 1 specialty (screen 16+, SCA ~82–84) sits around USD 8–11/kg; differentiated microlots and naturals (SCA 84–87+) around USD 10–15+/kg, with rare competition-grade lots above that. Commodity-grade material runs roughly USD 3.5–6/kg.
For context on the domestic side — not export asking prices — one retail single-origin Kintamani product has been listed at Rp90,000–Rp280,000, and value-added references per kilogram of green bean have been cited at roughly Rp14,140 for natural, Rp12,906 for honey and Rp10,856 for full-washed. These are reference points, not quotes.
Looking to 2027: if more separated microlots reach the 84–87+ band, expect competition for the small volumes at the top to hold that premium firm, while the confirmed number for any single lot still moves with harvest, volume and score. Date-stamp every figure you quote a buyer — “indicative FOB, as of 2026, subject to change.”
How should roasters lock in high-scoring lots without over-promising?
Plan around the May–October harvest: request pre-shipment samples early, cup them yourself, and reserve container space before the standout lots are spoken for. Ask for the cupping report and the physical grade (screen size, defect count, moisture) on every lot, and treat any score offered without a scoresheet as unverified.
On EUDR, prepare rather than promise. Coffee is in-scope, so EU-bound lots need plot geolocation and a due-diligence statement. Kintamani’s GI designation and Subak Abian groups help collect that traceability data — bags specifying Bangli Regency, the GI-protected designation and a named subak group are the cues buyers look for — but no exporter can sell certainty on customs or EUDR outcomes. Green coffee ships in GrainPro and jute bags from Bali and Surabaya ports with a certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, commercial invoice and packing list, arranged via vetted licensed partners.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Kintamani lots actually reach SCA 86 or higher?
Only a minority. Most Grade 1 Kintamani cups in the 82–84 range; the 84–87+ tier is reserved for separated naturals, honeys and careful microlots, and each has to prove its score on its own cupping report. As of 2026, treat 86+ as an achievable ceiling for select lots, not a regional baseline you can assume.
Who assigns the SCA score to a Kintamani Arabica lot?
A certified cupper or Q-grader scores each sample against the SCA protocol, rating fragrance, flavour, acidity, body, balance and aftertaste. The score belongs to that graded sample, not to the cooperative, village or Subak Abian group named on the bag. Reputable sellers share the scoresheet and let you re-cup your own sample before committing.
Does an 86+ score always translate to a higher FOB price in 2027?
Usually, but not automatically. As of 2026, natural and microlot Kintamani at SCA 84–87+ sits indicatively at USD 10–15+/kg FOB versus USD 8–11 for washed Grade 1 at SCA ~82–84. Final pricing still moves with harvest, volume, screen size and lot availability, so confirm the number against the actual lot rather than the band.