The Difference Between Blue Mountain Blend Coffee and Blue Mountain Coffee | What is Blue Mountain Coffee? | The Flavor Profile of Blue Mountain Coffee

The Rich History of Jamaican Coffee Beans

Jamaican coffee beans have a long and storied history. In 1728, the then-Governor of Jamaica, Sir Nicholas Lawes, imported coffee from the French island of Martinique. Due to the local climate being exceptionally suitable for coffee cultivation, Jamaica began exporting 83,000 pounds of premium coffee just nine years after its introduction.

The Blue Mountain coffee growing region is located in eastern Jamaica. Only coffee grown at elevations between 3,000-5,500 feet within this specific region can be considered authentic [Jamaica Blue Mountain] coffee. Coffee grown at elevations between 1,500-3,000 feet is classified as [Jamaica High Mountain], while coffee grown below 1,500 feet is designated as [Jamaica Supreme] or [Jamaica Low Mountain]. Areas above 5,500 feet are protected forest reserves where coffee cultivation is prohibited.

Government Quality Control Initiatives

The Jamaican government made serious efforts primarily to increase coffee production and establish central coffee processing facilities to improve coffee handling and green bean grading. While these measures did improve quality, they were not entirely successful. In 1943, Canada, which was the largest buyer of Jamaican coffee at the time, still found the quality unacceptable. In 1944, the Jamaican government established a central coffee [wet] processing plant, where all coffee intended for export had to be sent for processing and grading. From this point forward, the quality of Jamaican exported coffee began to steadily improve. In June 1950, the Jamaican Coffee Industry Board was established, formally placing the responsibility for exported coffee bean quality under state oversight. Currently, there are five government-certified 100% Blue Mountain coffee processing facilities: Wallenford, Mavis Bank, Old Tavern, Silver Hill, and Moy Hall.

What is Blue Mountain Coffee?

Blue Mountain coffee is among the world's most superior coffees. The Blue Mountains are located in eastern Jamaica. When the weather is clear, the mountains reflect the brilliant blue light from the surrounding Caribbean Sea, earning them their name.

The highest peak of Blue Mountain reaches 2,256 meters, making it the highest peak in the Caribbean region and a famous tourist destination. This area lies within the coffee belt, featuring fertile volcanic soil, fresh and unpolluted air, and a humid climate with year-round fog and rainfall. These conditions have created the world-renowned Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, as well as the world's most expensive coffee...

Blue Mountain coffee possesses all the characteristics of excellent coffee. Not only does it have a rich and mellow flavor, but due to the perfect balance of coffee's sweetness, acidity, and bitterness, it has no bitter taste at all, with only moderate and perfect acidity. It is typically consumed as a single-origin coffee, but due to its extremely limited production and exorbitant price, similar-flavored coffees are often used as substitutes in the market.

The Secret of Blue Mountain Coffee

The "secret" behind Blue Mountain coffee's pure flavor lies in several factors. All their coffee trees grow on rugged mountain slopes, making harvesting extremely difficult—only experienced local female workers can handle this challenging task. Selecting perfectly ripe coffee beans during harvest is crucial, as underripe or overripe beans can affect coffee quality. After harvesting, coffee beans must be pulped on the same day, then fermented for 12-18 hours. Following this, the beans undergo washing and sorting. The next step is drying, which must be conducted on concrete floors or thick blankets until the beans' moisture content drops to 12%-14%. The beans are then stored in specialized warehouses. When needed, they are taken out for roasting and then ground into powder. These procedures must be strictly controlled, otherwise, the coffee quality will be affected.

As for the [Blue Mountain flavor coffee] and [Blue Mountain blend coffee] we often see in the market, to be honest, these coffees contain no Blue Mountain coffee beans whatsoever! These are blended using beans such as Mandheling, Brazilian, and Colombian varieties to imitate the Blue Mountain coffee flavor profile.

FrontStreet Coffee's [Blue Mountain Coffee] comes from Clifton Mountain Estate. We recommend brewing with water at 88°C using a KONO dripper, with medium-coarse grind size, and controlling the extraction time to within two minutes. The cup reveals captivating notes of dark chocolate and nuts, along with a brown sugar-like aftertaste. The acidity, sweetness, and bitterness blend together perfectly, leaving an endless, memorable finish.

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