Introduction to Jamaica CLYDESDALE Clyde Manor Coffee and Recommended Roasting Level for Jamaican Coffee

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The History and Current Status of Jamaican Coffee

The history of Jamaica and coffee can be traced back to the early 18th century.

In 1717, King Louis XV of France ordered coffee cultivation in Jamaica. In the mid-20th century, Jamaica's Governor Sir Nicholas Lawes imported Arabica seeds from Martinique and began promoting cultivation in the St. Andrew region.

Jamaica is an island nation in the Caribbean Sea, separated from Haiti by the Jamaica Strait to the east and lying approximately 145 kilometers north of Cuba, making it the third-largest island in the Caribbean.

(Jamaica is one of the few island coffee-producing countries.)

Jamaica has a tropical rainforest climate. The rainy seasons fall each year from May to June and from September to November, with the most frequent showers in January and May. The abundant rainfall, fertile volcanic soil, and suitable temperatures have created the mild, clean taste and the rich, lingering flavor of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, laying a solid foundation for its reputation and quality.

CLYDESDALE Region

The CLYDESDALE region lies in central Jamaica at an average altitude of 1,000 meters. Because of its central location it is also known as the "Heart of Jamaica." Nearby are Jamaica's largest national park and forest reserve.

CLYDESDALE Estate was founded in 1800 by Dr. Clin Marlite from Britain. The doctor traveled to the region, was deeply drawn to the local and national culture, and settled here. The estate was also one of the first commercial coffee estates in Jamaica. Local farmers learned that the coffee the doctor exported and sold was of excellent quality, so they followed his lead and began growing coffee themselves.

Exports began in 1800. The farm the doctor operated is no longer running, but the production equipment used at the time - the processing factory, the waterwheel, and the drying plant - is still preserved, and has been designated a national cultural heritage site by Jamaica.

Today, the exported CLYDESDALE coffee continues to be grown by local farmers using fine Typica varieties and is sold worldwide under the CLYDESDALE Jamaica Blue Mountain brand.

FrontStreet Coffee recommends roasting to medium-dark to preserve its nutty, caramel flavors and full-bodied texture.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

CLYDESDALE is a fine example of the traditional Jamaican character, and if you want to taste that style at its most complete, FrontStreet Coffee's flagship Blue Mountain lot is where to go. The FrontStreet Jamaica Blue Mountain No.1 is the highest grade of authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, sourced from the historic Clifton estate, where coffee has been grown since around 1750 on land averaging 4300 feet (1310.64 meters) in altitude.

It is roasted medium-dark to bring out the nutty, caramel flavors and full body that CLYDESDALE and the wider Blue Mountain region are known for, then brewed with a Kono dripper at 15g, a 1:15 ratio, and 87-88°C water. The cup is clean, complex, and gentle, with chocolate sweetness, a rich creamy body, almost no bitterness, and a long fruity finish. Genuine lots ship in the traditional 15, 45, and 70 kilogram wooden barrels, each printed with its batch details.