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Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 Coffee, Clysdale Estate Introduction

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Jamaica, a Caribbean island nation, produces world-famous Blue Mountain coffee. Here we introduce a small Blue Mountain coffee estate that produces high-quality Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee...【Original Name】JamaicaCLYSDEDALEEstateBlueMount

Jamaica CLYSDEDALE Estate Blue Mountain No.1 Coffee

Jamaica is a Caribbean island nation whose Blue Mountain coffee is renowned worldwide. This article introduces a small Blue Mountain coffee farm that produces premium Jamaican Blue Mountain No.1 coffee.

Coffee Information

Original Name: Jamaica CLYSDEDALE Estate Blue Mountain No.1

Chinese Name: FrontStreet Coffee · Jamaica Clydesdale Estate Blue Mountain No.1

Variety: Blue Mountain Typica

Green Bean Processing: Semi-Washed Process

Origin: Jamaica Blue Mountain

Region/Estate/Cooperative: CLYSDEDALE Estate

Designation: Blue Mountain No.1

Grade: NO.1 Defect

Appearance: 18 screen

FrontStreet Coffee · Clydesdale Estate

Clydesdale Estate (transferred to Kalu Dream Shanghai Company) existed from 1801 to 1842.

From 1801 to 1825, the first-generation estate owner was Colin McClarty, and the second-generation owner was his son Alexander McClarty.

From 1825 to 1842, the estate's management rights were transferred to the third-generation owner Alexander Campbell.

After 1842, no records about this estate could be found, and Clydesdale Estate disappeared from history.

Today, only the abandoned buildings of the former coffee grinding factory can be seen locally.

It was the Sharp family's coffee trading company that revived this ancient brand. The father—Florence Sharp, eldest son—Richard Sharp, and second son—Jason Sharp. They purchase fresh coffee cherries from farmers near Clydesdale Estate and process them through grinding and barrel-filling at the B.M.C.P factory operated by Coffee Trading Co., Ltd. Our Japanese parent company, ATAKA & Co., Ltd., has also invested partially in the B.M.C.P factory.

In summary, Clydesdale is now not only the name of an estate but also a famous coffee brand. It is Jamaican Blue Mountain No.1 coffee where coffee cherries are purchased by the Sharp family's Coffee Trading Co., Ltd., processed and produced by the B.M.C.P factory, and exclusively acquired by Japan's ATAKA & Co., Ltd.

The Excellence of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is one of the world's most superior coffees, with limited production that makes it precious due to its rarity. The Blue Mountain range is located in the eastern part of Jamaica. When the weather is clear, the sea surrounding the Caribbean reflects brilliant blue light from the peaks, hence its 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,拥有 fertile volcanic soil, fresh air without pollution, and a humid climate with year-round fog and rainfall (average precipitation of 1,980 mm, temperature around 27°C). Such climate conditions have created the world-renowned Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, as well as the world's highest-priced coffee.

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee possesses all the characteristics of fine coffee. Not only is it rich and mellow in 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 generally consumed as a single-origin coffee. However, due to the extremely limited production and exorbitant price of Blue Mountain coffee, the market typically uses coffee with similar flavors as substitutes.

The "Secret" Behind Blue Mountain Coffee's Pure Flavor

Their coffee trees all grow on rugged mountain slopes, making the harvesting process extremely difficult. Only skilled local women workers can accomplish this task. It is crucial to select properly ripe coffee beans during harvesting—under-ripe or over-ripe beans will affect the coffee quality. After harvesting, coffee beans must be hulled the same day, then fermented for 12-18 hours. Following this, the coffee beans undergo washing and screening. The next step is drying, which must be conducted on concrete floors or thick blankets until the coffee beans' moisture content drops to 12%-14%. They are then stored in dedicated 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.

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is the world's most superior coffee. Jamaica's weather, geological structure, and terrain collectively provide an ideal location. The mountain range extending through Jamaica reaches the eastern part of the small island, with the Blue Mountain range exceeding 2,100 meters. The weather is cool, foggy, with frequent precipitation, nourished by this rich soil and rainwater.

Here, coffee trees are planted using mixed cropping methods, growing alongside banana and avocado trees on terraced fields. Some small estates also cultivate coffee. But even the largest estate owners in this region are considered small-scale by international standards. Many of these estate owners are small landholders whose families have been working for two centuries.

Jamaica's coffee industry faces a series of challenges, such as hurricane impacts, increasing labor costs, and difficulties in mechanizing terrace operations. Many small estates and farms struggle to rationalize their cultivation.

Global Market and Distribution

Due to Japan's continued investment in Jamaica's coffee industry, most Blue Mountain coffee is now controlled by the Japanese, who have also obtained priority purchasing rights for Blue Mountain coffee. In 1992, Jamaica sold 688 tons of Blue Mountain coffee to Japan, 75 tons to the United States, and 59 tons to the United Kingdom. Now, 90% of Blue Mountain coffee is purchased by the Japanese. Since other parts of the world can only obtain 10% of Blue Mountain coffee, it remains in short supply regardless of price.

Coffee Classification and Grading

Coffee from Jamaica's Blue Mountain region has three grades: Blue Mountain Coffee, Jamaica High Mountain Supreme Coffee Beans, and Jamaica Prime Coffee Beans. Both Blue Mountain Coffee and High Mountain Coffee are each divided into two sub-grades. Ranked by quality from highest to lowest: Blue Mountain No.1, Blue Mountain No.2, High Mountain No.1, High Mountain No.2, Jamaica Prime Coffee.

Typically, coffee grown between altitudes of 457 to 1,524 meters is called High Mountain coffee, coffee grown between 274 to 457 meters is called Jamaica coffee, and only coffee grown in the Blue Mountain region above 1,800 meters can be called Blue Mountain coffee. In terms of price, Blue Mountain coffee is several times more expensive than High Mountain coffee. It is mainly distributed across five peaks: John Crow, St. John's Peak, Mossman's Peak, High Peak, and Blue Mountain Peak.

FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaican Blue Mountain Brewing Flavor

Aroma: Very rich with persistent fruit notes.

Bean Size: Relatively full.

Recommended Roasting: Medium roast

FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee has very low caffeine content, less than half of other coffees, aligning with modern health concepts.

Pure FrontStreet Coffee Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee perfectly blends the unique acidity, bitterness, sweetness, and richness of coffee, creating a strongly alluring elegant aroma that other coffees cannot match. Those who love Blue Mountain coffee say: "It is a 'coffee beauty' that combines all the advantages of good coffee."

Jim, the general manager of Pete's Company, famous for operating coffee and tea in the United States, described Blue Mountain coffee: "Its aroma is fragrant, smooth, and rich, giving me the feeling of being as precious as a gem. It is precisely because Blue Mountain coffee's flavor is moderate and perfect that it is generally consumed as black coffee."

Its liquid appears golden under sunlight and drinks very smoothly. Coffee books say that Blue Mountain is the only coffee in the world that balances both acidity and bitterness while allowing people to enjoy it—you'll understand once you drink it.