The Secret Behind Blue Mountain Coffee's Rich and Mellow Flavor

The Secret Behind FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain Coffee

Every coffee tree behind FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee grows on steep slopes, and that is the secret to its rich flavour. Harvesting is physically demanding work that only local Jamaican women workers can handle. It also demands patience and close attention, because it directly determines the quality of the coffee: the pickers have to select cherries at exactly the right stage of ripeness. The beans must be hulled the same day they are picked, fermented for half a day, then washed and sorted. Next comes sun-drying, during which the processed beans are spread on concrete floors or thick blankets to receive sunlight. Once dried to a moisture content of just 12% to 14%, they can be moved to specialised storage. When they are needed, they are taken out to be roasted and ground. Every one of these steps is strictly controlled, and an error at any stage will compromise the taste and flavour of the coffee.

A Long History in Jamaica

FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee has a long history in Jamaica, dating back to 1717. At that time King Louis XV of France was a coffee enthusiast who not only planted coffee trees in his own garden but also ordered large numbers to be planted in Jamaica. Large-scale coffee cultivation in Jamaica began in the mid-1920s, when the British Governor of Jamaica, Sir Nicholas Lawes, brought Arabica seeds from Martinique to the British Isles and started a pilot programme to promote coffee growing in the Saint Andrew region. Today Saint Andrew has developed into a famous Blue Mountain producing area, alongside Portland and Saint Thomas, and the three are collectively known as the "Three Major Production Areas of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee". By 1932, Jamaica's annual coffee production had reached more than 15,000 tons, a world peak.

Quality Control and Certification

In 1950, the Jamaican government established the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board to promote local coffee around the world. To protect the excellent quality of the green and roasted coffee exported from the region, the board also issues unique official seals for the coffee it produces, making it the world's most authoritative national coffee organisation. Today, however, only a handful of six trademarks may legitimately carry the Blue Mountain name: Mavis Bank Coffee Factory, Blue Mountain Coffee Cooperative, Portland Blue Mountain Coffee Cooperative, Coffee Industry Board, Coffee Industry Association, and Wallenford Estate.

Hard Times and Japanese Investment

For a range of reasons, Jamaica's coffee industry ran into serious difficulties. Hurricanes sharply reduced production, labour costs kept climbing, and the rugged terrain ruled out replacing human labour with machinery. Many smallholders were poorly managed and could barely keep going. At that critical moment, Japanese investors stepped in with massive capital and revived the Jamaican coffee industry. Japan naturally became the main beneficiary, gaining priority purchasing rights for Blue Mountain coffee. Today Japan controls 90% of it, leaving only 10% to circulate elsewhere in the world, which makes Blue Mountain coffee even rarer. Whatever the price, though, it remains extremely popular.

Why Jamaican Blue Mountain Tastes So Pure

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is world-renowned, but what makes it taste so pure? Jamaica is not a large country. The Blue Mountain range lies northeast of the capital, Kingston. Most peaks in the range exceed 1,800 metres, and the famous Blue Mountain coffee grows within this mountainous region. Records show that coffee was introduced to Jamaica in 1723 by a French naval officer from a neighbouring region, though the crop did not initially receive much attention. In 1932 the Jamaican authorities made an important decision to encourage coffee cultivation and reduce dependence on sugar exports, and Blue Mountain coffee gradually emerged from there.

The distinctive flavour of FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee is tied to the geography and climate of the Blue Mountains. Generally speaking, the belt between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn is suited to coffee and is known as the "coffee belt". Jamaica sits south of the Tropic of Cancer.

The Blue Mountains have steep terrain, clean unpolluted air, abundant rainfall year-round, a large day-night temperature difference, and uniquely fertile new volcanic soil. Most importantly, every afternoon clouds and mist wrap the whole mountain area, providing natural shade for the coffee trees and bringing abundant moisture at the same time. These superior conditions set the taste and aroma of Blue Mountain coffee apart, letting it excel above other similar varieties.

A Meticulous Production Process

Beyond its outstanding natural conditions, Blue Mountain coffee follows extremely strict standards at every stage, from cultivation and harvesting through washing, hulling and roasting. There are clear rules on which organic fertilisers to use during each growth period, for instance. Harvesting and many of the processes that follow are done by hand, mostly by women workers. To protect quality during shipping, Jamaica is the last country that still packages and transports its coffee in traditional wooden barrels.

At a Blue Mountain processing plant opened specifically for visitors, a guide revealed the "secret" behind the coffee's pure taste: their coffee trees all grow on rugged mountain slopes, which makes harvesting so difficult that only skilled local women workers can manage it.

Harvesting and Processing Standards

Selecting cherries at exactly the right ripeness is critical. Underripe or overripe beans damage quality. After picking, the beans must be hulled the same day, then fermented for 12 to 18 hours. They are then washed and sorted. The next step is sun-drying on concrete floors or thick blankets until moisture content falls to 12%-14%, after which they are stored in specialised warehouses. When needed, they are taken out, roasted and ground. Every step has to be strictly controlled, or quality suffers.

Quality First, and Limited Production

Blue Mountain coffee's premium standing today also comes from a government policy of limiting production to protect quality. Jamaica did not abandon quality and mass-produce once Blue Mountain became famous. Instead it put quality first, willing to sacrifice yield to protect the brand.

Brazil, the world's largest coffee producer, turns out 30 million bags (60 kg each) a year, while Jamaica produces only a little over 40,000 bags. The gap in scale is obvious.

Blue Mountain beans are graded by quality. The highest grades generally never reach the open market, since most are pre-ordered by royalty and wealthy buyers. What is available commercially is "Blue Mountain" branded beans carrying a certificate of guarantee from the Jamaican government. Statistics from the International Coffee Organization show that in the 2003-2004 season Jamaica produced 43,000 bags of coffee, of which 24,000 were exported. Nearly 90% of that export went to Japan, with the remainder entering European and American markets.

Demand and Price

With production limited and export volumes small, Blue Mountain coffee has always been in short supply internationally. Scarcity makes things precious, and Blue Mountain is expensive even in its country of origin: a 4-ounce (114-gram) package sells for nearly $7 on the Jamaican market.

In recent years coffee shops have sprung up across China, and premium Blue Mountain naturally became something people wanted to try, especially younger drinkers. For a while it seemed that only those who had tasted Blue Mountain had truly experienced coffee, and a shop that did not sell it was not a real coffee shop. A cup of domestic "Blue Mountain coffee" in China ranges from over 30 yuan to over 100 yuan, which is genuinely expensive.

What About Authenticity?

If it is genuine, those prices are still in keeping with Blue Mountain's reputation. But the production and export volumes of Jamaican Blue Mountain are limited, and China holds no direct quota for importing it from Jamaica. The International Coffee Organization has no record of any Blue Mountain beans being exported to China.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

FrontStreet Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 sits at the top of the Blue Mountain grades, with strict standards for bean size, defect rate and overall quality. The coffee comes with complete origin certification and is presented with an original shipping barrel, so its source can be traced clearly, which matters a great deal when counterfeit Blue Mountain is so common. A medium-dark roast is used so that Blue Mountain's signature balance comes through fully. In the cup you get nuts, dark chocolate, creamy caramel and gentle sweetness unfolding in layers, with acidity, sweetness, bitterness and aroma in harmony. It works equally well as an everyday specialty coffee or as a gift, and it delivers the enduring appeal this legendary coffee has carried for decades.