Beyond the podium: How Tan Shing Win’s World Barista Championship triumph signals a new chapter for Malaysian coffee

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 — Tan Shing Win's second-place finish at the 2026 World Barista Championship (WBC) in Panama signifies a promising new chapter for Malaysian coffee. His technical and observant approach to brewing, which focused on moisture as a key variable, helped him achieve what is currently the best result by a Malaysian competitor at the championship.

This curiosity emerged from his experiences brewing coffee in different environments, where the same beans and brewing recipe could yield different cups depending on the surrounding conditions. Shing Win's coach, Keith Koay—a three-time Malaysian Barista Champion—emphasized the importance of Shing Win's humble attitude and dedication to learning the craft.

Together, they explored how understanding moisture could improve the coffee experience without changing the roast profile. Shing Win and his team chose to use the same washed Geisha coffee across all three courses of their competition routine to maintain its identity while allowing the flavors to shine through the milk. Despite the bittersweet emotions of finishing second, Tan Shing Win credits his achievements to the support he received from his coach, mentor, team, and the international coffee community.