6684
Academy Course
Sensory Skills Professional
Professional-level tasting: full CVA methodology, bias control, and the judgment quality control and sourcing roles depend on.
Format
In person · Online
Duration
3 Days
Level
Professional
Next Cohort
28–30 October 2026
What You'll Learn
Eight core competencies to master in this course.
1
Apply the full CVA methodology across descriptive and affective forms.
2
Recognise and control personal bias in evaluation.
3
Make sourcing and quality decisions based on structured sensory data.
4
Align your scoring with Q Grading-adjacent standards and rigour.
5
Lead a calibration session for a group of tasters.
6
Diagnose quality issues in a lot from sensory evidence alone.
7
Communicate sensory findings clearly to buyers, roasters, and sellers.
8
Operate as the sensory authority in a quality control or sourcing role.
Who It's For
- Sensory Skills Intermediate graduates ready for full CVA mastery.
- Q-Grader aspirants deepening their sensory foundation.
- Quality control and sourcing professionals.
- Anyone leading or building a cupping program.
Prerequisites
- Sensory Skills Intermediate, or equivalent CVA experience.
- Comfort scoring with CVA descriptive and affective forms.
The Instructor
Maryam Tabatabaei
Authorized SCA Premier Trainer · Q-Arabica GraderTaught by Maryam.
Maryam is an Authorized SCA Premier Trainer and a Q-Arabica Grader certified under the SCA Q Coffee System (formerly the Coffee Quality Institute) — one of the few practitioners in the United Arab Emirates who holds both credentials at once.
She placed fourth at the HB Best Batch Roasting Championship (Feb 2026), judged the UAE National Roasting Championship (Jan 2026), and presented at Gulfood 2026’s Specialty Coffee Stage. Cohorts in her studio are kept to six learners — closer to a master class than a campus.
“I will not teach you what to think about coffee. I will teach you how to taste it for yourself.”
SCA Authorized TrainerQ-Arabica Grader · SCAUAE Roasting Championship Judge4th · HB Best Batch RoastingGulfood 2026 · Specialty Stage
Frequently Asked
Is this equivalent to Q-Grader certification?
No. This builds professional-level CVA and sensory judgment. Q-Grader is a separate, formal CQI certification with its own exam.
Who is this course really for?
Anyone whose job depends on sensory judgment — sourcing, quality control, or running a cupping program at a professional standard.
Next Step