AN ARGYLL-BASED roastery has been recognised on the international stage after securing a bronze award for Europe at the prestigious Global Coffee Awards.
Argyll Coffee earned the accolade for its filter blend at the 2026 ceremony, run by industry organisation Perfect Daily Grind, which this year was held in El Salvador.
Head roaster, Michael Hartley, travelled to Central America to collect the award, describing the experience as ‘amazing’ and a significant moment for the growing business.
The awards aim to put farmers on an equal footing with roasters — something Hartley said strongly aligns with the company’s values.
He explained: “It makes for a much more level playing field and means that the producers get as much representation as the roasters and the buyers.
“Because of the way it’s set up, because it’s putting the farmers first, it just felt like this is how the industry should be going.”
Argyll Coffee entered two categories, receiving strong feedback across the board, but it was their filter blend that stood out — earning bronze among competitors from across Europe.
He said: “We weren’t expecting it, and it was great.
“It was really validating to be put up there with some really incredible roasts from all over the world.”
The judging panel consisted of trained sensory experts known as Q graders, who assess coffee in a similar way to how sommeliers judge wine. Their decision was based on factors including balance, sweetness, acidity and depth of flavour.
Hartley said the winning blend was carefully curated to achieve exactly that.
He added: “With a filter coffee, you’re looking for brightness, decent acidity, good sweetness and depth of flavour — and that’s exactly what we go for.
“Right now, we have a blend of a Guatemalan coffee with a really sticky sweetness, almost like strawberry jam, and a Nicaraguan one that gives it the acidity to cut through. It just hit the right note for the judges.”
The trip to El Salvador also offered a rare insight into coffee production at origin.
He continued: “It’s mind-blowing to get to go to origin countries — it’s such a privilege.
“We spent a few days visiting farms halfway up volcanoes, seeing how coffee is grown, processed and eventually shipped around the world. To see the entire journey from farm to export was incredible.”
Founded in 2018 by Eve McFarlane, Argyll Coffee has grown steadily, building a loyal customer base and expanding into new markets, including supplying cafés in Glasgow and stocking coffee on the Glen Sannox CalMac ferry.
Hartley, who joined the business in 2021 after a career in pharmaceuticals, said the recognition marks a proud moment for the whole team: “I’m not sure there are words — it’s insane.
“To sit side by side with people who have been roasting for much longer and to celebrate each other and the farmers — I genuinely couldn’t be prouder. It was a really special moment.”
With production increasing and a new, larger roaster due to be installed later this year, the company is now looking to build on its success — taking its award-winning coffee to an even wider audience.
