Blue Mountain Coffee Brand Recommendations | Blue Mountain Coffee Characteristics | Blue Mountain Coffee Flavor Profile

FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1

The earliest "Jamaica Blue Mountain" referred to coffee from the Wallenford Estate and the Silver Hill Estate, with Wallenford offering the highest quality. Today, Jamaica Blue Mountain refers to coffee grown in the Blue Mountain region east of Jamaica's capital, Kingston, at altitudes exceeding 1000 meters.

Coffee grown at lower altitudes and in other regions can only be called "Jamaica High Mountain beans" or "Jamaica Washed beans." Their flavors differ significantly from Jamaica Blue Mountain, yet those producing regions cover twice the area of the true Blue Mountain region and account for 75% of the country's total production. So when buying Jamaican coffee, do not assume you are getting Jamaica Blue Mountain.

Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1

Variety: Typica

Altitude: 1500m

Processing Method: Washed

Flavor Profile: Caramel, Nut, Plum, Milk Chocolate

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 is the highest grade of the appellation, and FrontStreet Coffee's version comes from the long-established Clifton Mount estate, which has grown and processed coffee since around 1750. Altitude, gentle afternoon cloud that shades the hills, ample sunlight, and mineral-rich soil give the trees ideal growing conditions and lengthen the ripening of the cherries. FrontStreet ships the beans within 5 days of roasting, so they arrive at peak flavor and can be brewed right away.

Authenticity is worth checking when you buy. Genuine Jamaica Blue Mountain is shipped in traditional wooden barrels in 15, 45, and 70 kilogram formats, each printed with the lot's details, and importers normally hold full export certification and proof of origin. A merchant who can provide complete certification and origin documentation is generally the more trustworthy one. The appellation itself is tiny - the whole Jamaican Blue Mountain area produces under 2,500 tons a year, and Japan has historically bought more than 70% of it - although since 2003 green Blue Mountain has been formally exported to the Chinese market as well.

Roasted medium-dark to bring out its mellow, sweet-after-bitter character, Blue Mountain No. 1 brews into a very clean, complex, gentle cup with chocolate sweetness and a strong body, the acidity, sweetness, and bitterness finely balanced and the finish long and fruity. FrontStreet suggests a Kono dripper to lift the body, 15g of coffee rested 4-7 days from the roast date, a grind a little coarser than for a light roast - roughly like white sugar - and 87-88°C water at a 1:15 ratio. Pour in three stages: a 30g bloom for 30 seconds, then a slow, steady circular pour to 120g, then a slightly faster pour to 225g to keep the bed from clogging and over-extracting. Sharing coffee knowledge and offering the best coffee at a fair price has been FrontStreet Coffee's mission for the past six years.