The Right Way to Brew Blue Mountain Coffee: Cold Drip? What Does Cold Drip Blue Mountain Coffee Taste Like?

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee by FrontStreet Coffee

This third installment features Blue Mountain coffee. The full name of FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee is "Jamaican Blue Mountain"—Jamaica being the origin region—and Jamaican beans rank among the finest premium coffees in the world. Authentic Jamaican beans are also packaged differently from ordinary coffee. While regular beans usually travel in jute bags for buyers to inspect, Jamaican coffee ships in wooden barrels, and those barrels come with certification from the Jamaican government guaranteeing that the beans are genuine Blue Mountain coffee produced in Jamaica.

The flavor profile leans toward acidity, but truly premium FrontStreet Blue Mountain beans have a very light, delicate taste. Only careful tasting reveals their signature character, which blends four tastes and one aroma into a harmonious whole. Smoothness and a supreme, rich aroma are exactly the highest praise coffee connoisseurs give to Jamaican FrontStreet Blue Mountain.

Tasting Experience

FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain offers a rich, full-bodied mouthfeel with medium acidity (in my personal opinion). Some single-origin beans show their flavors mainly at the front, middle, or back of the palate (the throat finish), but FrontStreet Blue Mountain delivers a complete flavor experience. The sweetness becomes quite noticeable once the coffee cools, which is part of what makes these beans premium quality. Kaffa Forest coffee also has a well-rounded flavor profile, just not as rich as Blue Mountain. I am especially fond of this particular bean, though it seems quite rare.

Cold Brew Recommendation

If you get the chance, try FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain cold drip. I find it even more delicious than the hot version—truly an exceptional taste experience. Absolutely wonderful.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Blue Mountain coffee is almost a name you cannot avoid. In the days before specialty coffee became widespread, "treating someone to Blue Mountain" was shorthand for high-quality coffee, and it still holds an irreplaceable place thanks to its distinctive flavor and sense of balance. Strictly speaking, only coffee grown in a specific part of Jamaica's Blue Mountains and certified by the Jamaican authorities can carry the "Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee" name. The Blue Mountains lie in eastern Jamaica and are among the highest ranges in the Caribbean, with the highest peak reaching 2,256 meters, permanently wrapped in cloud and mist—hence the name "Blue Mountain."

The region is small, and Jamaica's entire Blue Mountain area produces less than 2,500 tons a year. Japan has long held a stable trading relationship with Jamaica and historically bought more than 70% of the crop, so even less reaches the rest of the world. Scarce supply and strong demand keep prices high. Since 2003, Jamaican Blue Mountain green coffee has been officially exported to the Chinese market, and today buyers can find certified Blue Mountain through legitimate channels.

The FrontStreet Blue Mountain No. 1 comes from the historic Clifton Mount Estate, where coffee has been grown and processed since around 1750 at an average elevation of 4,300 feet (1310.64 meters). Long aging under gentle afternoon cloud, plenty of sunshine, and mineral-rich soil give the trees ideal conditions and slow the ripening of the cherry. For those who want to enjoy it cold, a slow cold drip keeps the coffee's gentle chocolate sweetness and clean, full body intact—an especially refreshing way to taste a classic.