México Samaria López

Few roasters in Spain carry a lineage as deep as El Magnifico. The original colonial store opened in Barcelona in 1919, and the El Magnifico brand was created in 1962 by the parents of the current owner. A pivotal encounter with Philippe Jobin, the legendary French fine coffee importer, in Le Havre in 1987 set the course for what would become one of Spain's pioneering specialty operations. The current owner has served as an International Tasting Judge for the Cup of Excellence since 2002 and co founded the national coffee forum in 1996. His daughter Claudia now leads quality control, tasting and selecting seasonal coffees with certification from the Quality Coffee Institute. The roastery works with over 40 origins, roasting in small quantities on 15kg and 30kg machines and grinding fresh in front of customers. Three generations deep, El Magnifico remains a cornerstone of Barcelona's coffee culture.