Derek Lucas, co-owner of Buon Amici's Coffee, is one of Canada's leading baristi. He won the 2007 Canadian Western Regional Barista Championship and placed 6th at the 2007 Canadian National Barista Championship.

Buon Amici's purchased a small lot of the rare and expensive La Esmeralda Special Geisha coffee, which was auctioned by La Hacienda Esmeralda of Panama on May 29, 2007 at a world-record $130 per pound of green (unroasted) coffee beans.

Derek Lucas competed with our Terra Keramik espresso and cappuccino cups during the 2007 Canadian Barista Championship, and we are thrilled that he chose to serve the Esmeralda Special Geisha coffee to his customers in Terra Keramik cups.

For $100, customers can sample either two 5.5 ounce cappuccinos or two 2 ounce espressos made with La Esmeralda Special coffee and served in Terra Keramik cups. The customers keep the cups!

You better hurry, this is a wonderful opportunity to taste and savor this rare coffee!!!

Professional baristi from Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho will be each preparing and serving 4 espresso, 4 cappuccino and 4 signature drinks in a 15-minute competition. The winner of the 2008 Mountain Regional Barista Competition qualifies for the 2008 United States Barista Championship.

Mike Strumpf of Allegro Coffee Company commissioned Terra Keramik to handcraft sets of custom red espresso cups as prizes for the top three finishers (hand inscribed by the artisan with the event and place of finish) and custom black espresso cups for each competitor. As host of the 2008 MRBC, Allegro was interested in prizes that both commemorate the special event and also represent functional gear that the professional baristi could use in their cafés.