By Mare Terra Coffee
A unique and surprising championship
This 2025, we are transforming the experience with the Pre-Opens: the exclusive prelude to the main championship.
The Open de Cata is a unique championship that combines the modalities of sensory memory and triangulation, consolidating itself as an event of international prestige. It is distinguished by the difficulty of its tests, the quality of the participants and the attractive prizes that summon the best tasters in the world.
There will be no traditional Open de Cata in 2025, but but we are going one step further with the introduction of the Pre-Opens in several countries, these pre-events allow tasters to demonstrate their skills before the official championship in 2026.
Explore the event:
Pre-Opens 2025
The direct prelude to Open de Cata
In 2025, Mare Terra Coffee will introduce the Pre-Opens,a series of international competitions that act as the perfect prelude to the main championship.
Participate in the Pre-Opens and secure your place at the Open de Cata
From June 2025 until April 2026, different competitions will be organized prior to the Open de Cata, known as the Pre-Opens de Cata. These competitions will not only help you calibrate and improve your skills, but will also allow you to taste Open de Cata level coffees, which will prepare you to compete in the main event. In addition, the winners of each Pre-Open will receive as a prize their ticket to the Cata Open 2026flights to Barcelona and accommodation for the final.
The Pre-Opens will be held in various cities around the world, offering tasters the opportunity to showcase their skills. Here are the dates and countries confirmed for this season:
Location: To be confirmed
Location: To be confirmed
These competitions are open to international tasters looking to measure themselves against the best and earn their place at the Open de 2026.
Do you want to organize a Pre-Open in your country?
Help us take this international experience to new destinations.
If you are interested in organizing a Pre-Open de Cata in your country, this is your opportunity to be part of Mare Terras Coffee’s global network. For more information on how to become an accredited organizer, please see the criteria and conditions available at the following link.
Open de Cata 2026
The ultimate challenge for the world's best tasters
In 2026, the final event will be held on May 29 and 30, although the final venue has yet to be confirmed. It will be an unforgettable edition, with a higher level, more coffees of origin and a total prize fund of 25.000 €which makes it one of the most highly recognized and rewarded tasting championships in the world.
Open de Cata 2026 Awards. A recognition of excellence
15.000€
1st place
5.000€
2nd place
3.000€
3rd place
2.000€
4th place
Tasting, competing, connecting. Live the unique experience of Open de Cata
Only the most accurate, fast and consistent tasters make it this far. Will you be the next champion?
What does the Open de Cata consist of?
A championship of sensory precision
Participate in the Open de Cata means facing a demanding, technical and exciting championship. Here we tell you about the road from the first round to the grand final.
First Round - Sensory Memory
Evaluation Tasting
Participants have 15 minutes to taste 6 coffees from 3 different origins (South America, Central America and Africa). During this time they have available information about the country of origin, Farm or Washed station, variety and Process. Their task is to taste the coffees and memorize the unique characteristics of each lot.
Blind tasting
Once the evaluation phase is over and with the notes taken, the participants face a second tasting: this time, blind, blind tasting. They will have to taste them again 6 coffeesThe key is precision: the better you have memorized the profiles, the more accurate your choice will be. The key is accuracy: the better they have memorized the Profiles, the more accurate their choice will be.
Evaluation and pass to the semifinals
The 12 tasters with the highest number of correct scores advance to the next phase of the championship.
Final - A single origin, maximum demand
The great Final of the Open de Cata represents the most accurate sensory challenge of the entire championship. Only the 8 best tasters come this far.
Sensory Memory - 6 coffees, 1 origin
The test follows the same protocol as the semifinal phase, but this time all the coffees come from a single country. They are 6 different coffees elaborated with different varieties and Processes, which obliges the finalists to distinguish with absolute precision between extremely close profiles.
Evaluation and Winner
For each correct guess, one point is awarded. In the event of a tie, the player is ranked by the shortest time taken. The taster with the most correct guesses in the shortest time is the winner of the winner of the Open de Cata by Mare Terras Coffee 2026..
Semifinal - Accuracy and Speed
Sensory Memory - 6 coffees, 2 origins
This phase follows the same protocol as the qualification round, but with an added difficulty: the 6 coffees come from only two countries different, requiring greater attention to nuance. Participants will have 15 minutes to freely taste the coffees (prepared in filters and served in thermoses), identify their characteristics and take detailed notes.
Next, rounds of 4 persons. Each group will taste the same 6 coffeesThis time without visible information, and you will have to place them correctly according to their Flavour and previous notes.
Triangulation - 6 sets in 6 minutes
This event follows the format of the World Cup Tasters Championshipwith one key difference: the participants have only 6 minutes to solve 6 triangulations.
There are three cups in each set: two contain the same Coffee. and one is different. The goal is to identify the distinct cup in each triangle and separate it from the rest.
Next, rounds of 4 persons. Each group will taste the same 6 coffeesThis time without visible information, and you will have to place them correctly according to their Flavour and previous notes.
Evaluation and pass to the Finals
The results of both tests (Sensory Memory + Triangulation) are added together. In case of a tie, the shortest total time is prioritized.
The 8 participants with the best overall score advance to the Final.
First Round - Sensory Memory
Evaluation Tasting
Participants have 15 minutes to taste 6 coffees from 3 different origins (South America, Central America and Africa). During this time they have available information about the country of origin, Farm or Washed station, variety and Process. Their task is to taste the coffees and memorize the unique characteristics of each lot.
Blind tasting
Once the evaluation phase is over and with the notes taken, the participants face a second tasting: this time, blind, blind tasting. They will have to taste them again 6 coffeesThe key is precision: the better you have memorized the profiles, the more accurate your choice will be. The key is accuracy: the better they have memorized the Profiles, the more accurate their choice will be.
Evaluation and pass to the semifinals
The 12 tasters with the highest number of correct scores advance to the next phase of the championship.
Semifinal - Accuracy and Speed
Sensory Memory - 6 coffees, 2 origins
This phase follows the same protocol as the qualification round, but with an added difficulty: the 6 coffees come from only two countries different, requiring greater attention to nuance. Participants will have 15 minutes to freely taste the coffees (prepared in filters and served in thermoses), identify their characteristics and take detailed notes.
Next, rounds of 4 persons. Each group will taste the same 6 coffeesThis time without visible information, and you will have to place them correctly according to their Flavour and previous notes.
Triangulation - 6 sets in 6 minutes
This event follows the format of the World Cup Tasters Championshipwith one key difference: the participants have only 6 minutes to solve 6 triangulations.
There are three cups in each set: two contain the same Coffee. and one is different. The goal is to identify the distinct cup in each triangle and separate it from the rest.
Next, rounds of 4 persons. Each group will taste the same 6 coffeesThis time without visible information, and you will have to place them correctly according to their Flavour and previous notes.
Evaluation and pass to the Finals
The results of both tests (Sensory Memory + Triangulation) are added together. In case of a tie, the shortest total time is prioritized.
The 8 participants with the best overall score advance to the Final.
Final - A single origin, maximum demand
The great Final of the Open de Cata represents the most accurate sensory challenge of the entire championship. Only the 8 best tasters come this far.
Sensory Memory - 6 coffees, 1 origin
The test follows the same protocol as the semifinal phase, but this time all the coffees come from a single country. They are 6 different coffees elaborated with different varieties and Processes, which obliges the finalists to distinguish with absolute precision between extremely close profiles.
Evaluation and Winner
For each correct guess, one point is awarded. In the event of a tie, the player is ranked by the shortest time taken. The taster with the most correct guesses in the shortest time is the winner of the winner of the Open de Cata by Mare Terras Coffee 2026..
Get ready, train... and start your way to the Cata Open 2026!
Relive previous editions of the Tasting Open
Moments, emotions and talent that marked each year
Open de Cata 2024
The 2024 edition of the Tasting Open was held on October 25th and 26th in Barcelonabringing together 36 tasters from 14 countries different. With a total of 20.000 € in prizes, the participants competed in an atmosphere full of passion, competition and sensory excellence.
Winners 2024:
10.000€
Andrii Vasyliev
5.000€
Sinwu Nam
3.000€
Ilya Bychek
2.000€
Denes Rajmond
Open de Cata 2023
The 2023 edition of the Tasting Open was held from October 19 to 21 at Barcelonawhere 24 tasters 24 tasters from 10 countries around the world. With a total award of 11.000 €The competition was incredibly close and resulted in a day full of sensory skill, excitement and camaraderie among the participants, who shared their passion for coffee and excellence.
Winners 2023:
6.000€
Gabriel Céspedes
3.000€
Vvaleriy Nikulin
1.500€
Ilya Bychek
500€
Ilya Khlyzoff
Sponsors of the Open de Cata
We greatly appreciate the support of our sponsors for the 2024 edition of the Open de Cata.
Thanks to their contribution, the event was possible and reached an international level of excellence.
