Third-wave coffee is a movement in the coffee world that began in the US during the 1990s by focusing on high-quality and single-origin beans. The movement’s principles were to source ethically and generally roast light to let the true flavors of the coffee bean, rather than the flavors produced by the roast, shine through in the cup. Specialty coffees are high-quality coffees that have a score of at least 80 points using the global standard established by the Specialty Coffee Association. We explained the coffee waves in another guide, you'll know what each wave means.