The Origin of Blue Mountain Coffee - Flavor Profile and Why It's So Expensive

The Blue Mountains: Geography and Origin

The Blue Mountains are located in the eastern part of Jamaica. This mountain range earned its beautiful name when a British soldier arrived in Jamaica and saw the peaks enveloped in a blue radiance, exclaiming: "Look! Blue mountains!" Thus, they were named the "Blue Mountains." In reality, Jamaica is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea.

On clear days, sunlight reflects off the sea surface, and the surrounding mountains are enveloped in a subtle blue atmosphere due to the refraction of the azure ocean waters, creating an ethereal and mysterious appearance.

Most of the Blue Mountains reach elevations above 1,800 meters, with their highest peak at 2,256 meters - the tallest peak in the Caribbean region and a famous tourist destination.

Unique Climate

The distinctive flavor of Blue Mountain coffee is intimately connected to the Blue Mountains' exceptional geographical location and climate conditions. The Blue Mountains are situated within the coffee belt between 25°N and 25°S latitude, featuring fertile new volcanic soil, fresh and pollution-free air, and year-round rainfall. Most importantly, every afternoon, clouds envelop the mountaintops, not only providing shade for the coffee trees but also bringing abundant moisture, allowing Blue Mountain coffee to achieve outstanding taste and aroma.

Only coffee grown in the Blue Mountain region above 1,800 meters can be called Blue Mountain coffee. In fact, some coffee enthusiasts insist that "only coffee grown at 2,256 meters is true Blue Mountain coffee." Coffee beans grown at lower elevations, due to their different quality, can only be named "Jamaica High Mountain Coffee." Moreover, the same coffee trees, whether planted in similar climates like Hawaii, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, or elsewhere, cannot produce the distinctive taste of Blue Mountain coffee beans.

Historical Legacy

The first coffee to appear in Jamaica arrived in 1728 from Haiti in Latin America. By 1790, among the refugees from Haiti were some coffee farmers who brought coffee cultivation techniques to this region. In 1838, when Jamaica abolished slavery, allowing freed slaves to cultivate their own land, many moved to the mountains to specialize in coffee cultivation and exported coffee to Britain. The coffee gained appreciation among British high society and gradually became famous. This coffee is what captivates coffee enthusiasts worldwide today - Blue Mountain coffee.

Exceptional Flavor Profile

Pure Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee perfectly blends the unique tastes of acidity, bitterness, sweetness, and richness, creating a strongly appealing and elegant aroma that other coffees cannot match. Jim, the general manager of Peet's Coffee & Tea - an American company famous for coffee and tea, described Blue Mountain coffee: "Its taste is aromatic, smooth, and rich - it feels as precious as a gem to me." Because Blue Mountain coffee has a perfectly balanced flavor, it is typically consumed as black coffee. Additionally, Blue Mountain coffee has very low caffeine content - less than half that of other coffees - aligning with modern health concepts.

Production Traditions

Blue Mountain coffee's ability to maintain its premium status today is inseparable from local production policies. In 1932, Jamaica passed policies encouraging coffee production. Unlike most coffee-producing countries that increased output by planting large quantities of lower-quality coffee, Jamaica prioritized quality over quantity, willing to sacrifice coffee yield to ensure the quality of Blue Mountain coffee. Therefore, Jamaica is currently one of the countries with the smallest coffee production volume in the world. Brazil, the world's largest coffee exporter, produces 30 million bags of coffee annually, while Blue Mountain coffee produces only about 40,000 bags per year.

Furthermore, the processing and production of Blue Mountain coffee are extremely meticulous. Detailed standards have been established for processing, roasting, and packaging, down to specific regulations about which organic fertilizers to use during the growing period. All harvesting is done manually. Jamaica is also the last country to use traditional wooden barrels for packaging and transporting coffee.

Only coffee that passes the series of stringent standards set by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica (C.I.B.) can receive the government-issued certificate and be officially designated with the "Blue Mountain" name.

Brewing Recommendations

FrontStreet Coffee's pour-over brewing suggestion: Use a small Fuji grinder with a flannel filter, water temperature of 88°C, 1:13 coffee-to-water ratio, total brewing time of 1 minute 30 seconds.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473