Is Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee Expensive? Price Per Cup and Comparison with Blue Mountain Flavored Coffee

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

The earliest "Jamaican Blue Mountain" referred to coffee produced by the "Wallenford Estate" and "Silver Hill Estate," with the former having the best quality. Today's Jamaican Blue Mountain refers to coffee beans grown in the Blue Mountain region (over 1000 meters in altitude) east of Jamaica's capital "Kingston." Mavis Bank is now the largest estate, with its wooden barrels marked M.B.C.F., and its products are commonly found in Taiwan. Jamaican Blue Mountain's quality control is extremely strict, with certification work conducted by the government's "Coffee Industry Board."

Coffee beans grown at lower altitudes and in other regions can only be called "Jamaican High Mountain" or "Jamaican Washed" coffee. Compared to Jamaican Blue Mountain, their flavor differs significantly. However, the area of these production regions is twice that of the true Blue Mountain region, accounting for 75% of the country's total output. Therefore, when purchasing Jamaican coffee, don't assume you're buying Blue Mountain coffee.

Blue Mountain coffee's expensive price has given it a relatively fixed consumer group, with its sales mainly concentrated in Japan, followed by some European and American countries. The coffee beans are plump and slightly larger than average beans. Its flavor is very subtle, with balanced and intense acidity, aroma, body, and sweetness, slightly bitter, with harmonious mouthfeel and excellent flavor, making it suitable for single-origin coffee. It uses medium roast, which maximally preserves the coffee's original flavor while enhancing its aftertaste.

With the improvement of domestic coffee consumption trends, many coffee shops have begun to offer "Blue Mountain coffee," often at prices only a fraction or even one-tenth of authentic Blue Mountain coffee. In 2005, under the guidance of Taiwanese coffee merchants, domestic media began to pay attention to and report on the authenticity of Blue Mountain coffee. To date, authentic Blue Mountain coffee remains out of reach for most domestic consumers due to its price and limited supply in the mainland market.

Blue Mountain coffee's ability to maintain its supreme status today is inseparable from local business policies. In 1932, Jamaica implemented policies encouraging coffee production to reduce the island's dependence on sugar exports. Unlike most coffee-producing countries that increased output by planting large quantities of high-yield but low-quality coffee, the local government prioritized quality over quantity, preferring to sacrifice yield to ensure quality. Therefore, Jamaica is one of the world's smallest coffee-producing countries. 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.

Blue Mountain coffee actually has certain subdivisions. Normal Jamaican Blue Mountain No. 1, when domestically roasted, normally reaches prices of over 900 yuan per jin. This price fluctuates but hasn't changed much.

Blue Mountain also includes No. 2, High Mountain, and PB round beans. The prices of these are relatively lower, which is why Blue Mountain coffee sold on the market varies in price.

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