What is the Price of Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee? The Flavor and Mouthfeel of Jamaica's Mavis Bank Processing Plant

What Is the Price of Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee? The Flavor and Texture of Jamaica Blue Mountain's Mavis Bank Processing Plant

Blue Mountain coffee is a high-quality Caribbean coffee that, like coffee in other countries, suffers damage from natural hurricanes. Having seen too many damaged beans that still carry a kale-like taste in cupping, prices are always affected in years when hurricanes strike - sometimes making the coffee completely unsellable. In addition, the hot, humid environment of island nations often causes coffee to suffer insect damage or develop white spots. Truly flawless beans are always rare, and the fact that Japanese buyers purchase 70-80% of Blue Mountain coffee keeps prices high. All truly high-altitude 100% pure Blue Mountain coffee is produced through official Jamaican processing plants, packed in special wooden barrels, and each barrel comes with a certificate.

The Munn family began operating Mavis Bank Company in 1885. The location at that time was slightly higher than the current site and was called Strawberry Hill. Mavis Bank processes coffee cherries at high altitude. They invested in brand-new equipment, and the trial-produced beans showed significant improvement thanks to a genuinely flawless processing line. The texture of this coffee is very mild and smooth with excellent body, sometimes reminiscent of high-mountain frozen oolong tea aroma. Jamaica Mavis Bank Blue Mountain No. 1 beans: Mavis Bank is located about 10 miles northeast of the capital, Kingston, and is one of the government-certified green bean processing plants in Jamaica. The Munn family has operated since 1885, and the MBCF trademark and its 100% Blue Mountain coffee are renowned worldwide. They are particularly praised for meticulous green bean processing and an elegant, delicate flavor, with floral tea aroma, clear sweetness, and a solid, creamy, buttery mouthfeel. Jamaica's legal Blue Mountain coffee growing region is constantly shrouded in blue mist, hence the name "Blue Mountain."

On the slopes of Jamaica's Blue Mountains, coffee farms are scattered. On bushes about human height, you can see dense, green, plump, bean-shaped fruits growing on the branches, occasionally mixed with red or purple fruits like cherries - those are the coffee beans that can become the famous Blue Mountain coffee, called "cherries" or "cherry beans."

Coffee beans must be fully ripe and red before they can be picked, as Lenworth Henry, Regional Manager of the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board, explains. He points out that the area suitable for coffee cultivation in Jamaica spans about 3,000 acres, and only coffee grown in the specific Blue Mountain zone can be called Blue Mountain coffee. Blue Mountain itself reaches up to 7,000 feet, while the highest area where coffee can be grown reaches about 5,000 feet.

Jamaican coffee beans have a long history. In 1728, the then-British Governor Sir Nicholas Lawes imported coffee from French Martinique to Jamaica. Because the local climate was very suitable for growing coffee, nine years after its introduction Jamaica exported 83,000 pounds of quality coffee. Four-fifths of Jamaica's territory consists of mountainous terrain. The Blue Mountain coffee producing area is located in eastern Jamaica, and only coffee grown at altitudes of 3,000-5,500 feet within this region can be considered authentic Jamaica Blue Mountain. Coffee grown at altitudes of 1,500-3,000 feet can only be called Jamaica High Mountain, while coffee grown below 1,500 feet is Jamaica Supreme or Jamaica Low Mountain. Areas above 5,500 feet are protected forests where coffee cultivation is prohibited.

The government's serious efforts were aimed mainly at increasing coffee bean production and building central processing plants to facilitate processing and green bean grading. These did improve quality but were not very successful. In 1943, Jamaica's largest coffee buyer at the time, Canada, still could not accept the quality. In 1944, the Jamaican government established the Central Coffee Wet Processing Plant, and all coffee intended for export had to be sent there for processing and grading. From then on, the quality of Jamaican exported coffee gradually improved. In June 1950, the Jamaica Coffee Board was established, officially responsible for improving and maintaining the quality of exported coffee beans. Currently there are five government-certified 100% Blue Mountain coffee processing plants: Wallenford, Mavis Bank, Old Tavern, Silver Hill, and Moy Hall.

Property Characteristics

Grade: Certified 100% Blue Mountain

Region: Blue Mountain

Country: Jamaica

Mark: Mavis Bank Mill

Altitude: 3,000-5,500 feet

Coffee Characteristics

Varietal: Jamaica Blue Mountain Cultivar

Processing: Wet-processed

Appearance: 0 d/300gr, 18 Screen (0 defects/300g, 18 screen)

Top Jury Descriptions: Cupping roast level is 60 seconds after first crack begins (Cinnamon roast)

Aroma/Flavor: Grain aroma, high mountain oolong tea aroma, jasmine fragrance, grape aroma, chamomile, whiskey aroma, floral and herbal notes, honey sweetness

Acidity: Very refreshing, clean, elegant, citrus, lemon, mild low acidity

Complexity and Other: Balanced and multi-layered, long floral aftertaste, very sweet, delicate as silk

Overall Evaluation: Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee from the Caribbean is rare and precious. The farms belonging to Mavis Bank are mostly located at 5,000 feet altitude. Even so, their coffee is still mild, smooth, and balanced. Don't expect any surprising characteristics in the cup - that's Jamaican coffee for you. But with its mild balance and special, subtle Jamaican flavors, in terms of cupping scores and green bean quality, this batch of Mavis Bank Jamaica Blue Mountain is the best.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommended Brewing

Dripper: KONO dripper

Water Temperature: 88°C

Grind Size: Fuji Royal grinder setting 4

Brewing Method: Water-to-coffee ratio 1:14, 17g coffee grounds, first pour 25g water, 30s bloom, second pour to 238g water, extraction time around 2:30 minutes

Analysis: The KONO dripper doesn't have many ribs at the bottom, allowing the filter paper to fit closely against the dripper and restricting airflow. This gives water and coffee grounds longer contact and steeping time in the dripper, ensuring extraction time and extraction rate for coarser grinds, so the grounds are fully extracted - enhancing the rich mouthfeel and concentrating the flavor.

Flavor: High balance, clean, rich and solid texture, long-lasting dark chocolate aftertaste.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

If this balance and clarity is what you love about Blue Mountain, FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 is the real thing. It is the highest grade of Jamaican Blue Mountain, from the long-established Clifton Estate, which has been growing and processing coffee since around the mid-18th century (roughly 1750). The growing and processing area sits at an average of 4,300 feet (1310.64 meters): the elevation, gentle afternoon cloud and mist that shade the mountains, abundant sunshine, and mineral-rich soil give the trees excellent growing conditions and extend the ripening of the coffee cherry. It is medium-dark roasted to bring out Blue Mountain's classic balance, with layers of nut, dark chocolate, buttery caramel, and soft sweetness unfolding in a cup where acidity, sweetness, bitterness, and aroma stay in harmony.

Genuine Blue Mountain is also easy to verify: look for the Jamaican government certificate and certificate of origin, the wooden barrels used for shipping (traditionally 15, 45, and 70 kg sizes), each printed with lot details, and green beans that are neat, full, faintly upturned at both ends, and green in color. Taste is the final proof - real Blue Mountain is dense, clean, and completely free of off-flavors. Brew it with a Kono dripper at 87-88°C to keep the body rich, and let it rest 4-7 days after the roast date before you open the bag.