Introduction to the Characteristics of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee - How Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Differs from Other Coffees

Global Coffee Growing Regions

Dozens of countries around the world grow coffee, and each offers a different growing environment. Guatemala, for instance, has natural highland terrain and volcanic soil, while Indonesia has a rainy, humid climate. Beans grown in different environments therefore have different characteristics: some are more acidic and bitter, others are richly aromatic.

Coffee Variety Characteristics

Arabica beans generally have a better aroma than Robusta and can be considered the finest coffee variety to date.

Major Coffee Types and Origins

Jamaica: Blue Mountain Coffee

The renowned Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee might be called the king of coffee, but only coffee grown at altitudes above 5,000 feet in Jamaica's Blue Mountains can truly carry the name. Beans produced in the Blue Mountains at lower altitudes, or in Jamaica's other coffee regions, come from Jamaica but still cannot be called Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee.

Why it is expensive: first, its quality is excellent, with perfect fragrance, sweetness and smoothness and a moderate balance of acidity and bitterness, making it the best of the best. Many people assume Blue Mountain is good mainly because of its rich aroma. If you are used to heavy coffees like Mandheling or Italian espresso, or you are a committed coffee addict, it may be wise not to spend a great deal to try it, or you may end up disappointed.

Its flavor is fresh with a slight acidity, and that acidity is the high-quality kind found only in fine Arabica beans. It will not put you off; instead it leaves an endless aftertaste. You can drink it with no sugar or creamer at all, it is so smooth. You will sip it bit by bit, and before you know it, before you have had time to add sugar or creamer, the cup is gone. You may even feel that adding sugar or creamer would be a waste.

Second, the yield is low. Because only coffee from the high-altitude areas of the Blue Mountains can be called Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, and it undergoes strict screening, the quantity is limited. On top of that, Japan has been buying in large volumes for years, so even less reaches other markets, pushing the price several times higher than ordinary coffee.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If the idea of authentic Blue Mountain appeals to you, FrontStreet Blue Mountain No.1 is the highest grade of the lot and comes from the long-established Clifton Mount estate. Clifton began growing and producing coffee as early as the mid-18th century, around 1750, and its growing and processing areas sit at an average altitude of 4,300 feet (1,310.64 meters). That elevation, the gentle afternoon cloud that shades the mountain forest, abundant sunlight and mineral-rich soil give the trees ideal conditions and extend the ripening of the cherries.

Genuine Blue Mountain is never hard to verify: look for the estate's certificate and the distinctive wooden barrels used to ship the green beans, which are traditionally made in 15, 45 and 70-kilogram sizes. Each barrel is itself a mark of the real thing. FrontStreet roasts its Blue Mountain to a medium-dark level, which develops the classic balance and reveals hazelnut, cream, chocolate and caramel with a pure, even cup, and it is best brewed with a Kono dripper at 87-88°C, 15g of coffee and a 1:15 ratio.