Blue Mountain Coffee: A Black History

The Legend of Blue Mountain Coffee

In the 1980s, the British Queen received a substantial quantity of Wallenford Blue Mountain coffee through diplomatic mail. After tasting it, the Queen declared this slightly acidic coffee to be the finest in the world. From that moment, Wallenford Blue Mountain coffee gained worldwide acclaim, and "Blue Mountain Coffee" secured its reputation as premium coffee thanks to this piece of "history" - a reputation that endures to this day.

The Historical Reality

History is history, and whether the British Queen actually received Wallenford Blue Mountain coffee can likely only be confirmed by those who wrote the royal "daily records." However, from the perspective of Wallenford coffee production, this story can only be considered legend. Wallenford was the earliest coffee plantation in Jamaica. Due to its exceptionally favorable geographical advantages, the coffee produced here features large beans and excellent quality, with a rich, mellow taste that is universally recognized as premium coffee. Additionally, its slightly acidic soil gives the coffee a flavor distinct from ordinary Arabica coffee, characterized by a slight acidity. It is precisely this acidity that distinguishes Blue Mountain coffee from its Ethiopian origins. Wallenford is situated in the Blue Mountain range. When British soldiers first arrived in Jamaica and saw the peaks shrouded in blue light, they exclaimed: "Look, blue mountains!" - hence the name. In reality, Jamaica is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. On clear days, brilliant sunlight shines on the sea surface, and the distant mountains are enveloped in a faint, ethereal blue atmosphere due to the refraction of the azure waters, appearing misty and mysterious.

The Development of Jamaican Coffee

In 1717, French King Louis XV ordered coffee cultivation in Jamaica. Following the king's command, in 1723, a French naval officer introduced coffee seeds from Haiti and presented them to Jamaica's Governor Sir Nicholas Lawes. Arabica coffee began to be cultivated and promoted in the St. Andrew region. To this day, St. Andrew remains one of the three major producing regions of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, with the other two being Portland and St. Thomas. Within eight years, Jamaica exported over 375 tons of pure coffee. In 1932, coffee production reached its peak, with harvests exceeding 15,000 tons.

Challenges and Japanese Investment

The Wallenford estate is located in the St. Andrew region, where its suitable altitude provides exceptionally favorable geographical conditions for coffee growth. However, Central America is situated between the world's two largest oceans and influenced by the American Central Great Plains, creating a rather harsh environment that has prevented coffee cultivation from expanding. Beginning in 1960, the Jamaican Blue Mountain region suffered hurricane damage that destroyed most estate facilities and coffee trees. Wallenford estate was not spared, and pure Wallenford coffee became history. The once-famous Blue Mountain coffee nearly disappeared. Therefore, it's impossible that the package received by the British Queen in the legendary story was pure Wallenford coffee, as pure Wallenford coffee was no longer available during that era.

Due to Jamaica's independent advantages in coffee production, coffee cultivation continued to be promoted after the hurricanes, making it a region contested by foreign investors. Ultimately, Japan gained the upper hand in this foreign investment battle. Japan has consistently invested in Jamaica's coffee industry, and most Blue Mountain coffee is now controlled by the Japanese, who 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. Today, 90% of Blue Mountain coffee is purchased by the Japanese. Since the rest of the world can only obtain 10% of Blue Mountain coffee, it remains in high demand regardless of price.

Quality Grades and Counterfeits

As coffee culture spreads, no country is willing to abandon the enormous economic profits brought by the Blue Mountain name. They seek various ways to obtain Blue Mountain coffee business rights. Besides Japan, coffee marketers from around the world compete for the world's remaining 10% quota of Blue Mountain coffee. Some small coffee shops also display Blue Mountain coffee, but what they offer is certainly not produced in the Blue Mountain range - often it's counterfeit. Based on Blue Mountain coffee's flavor profile, they mix various coffee beans, attempting to replicate even a hint of Blue Mountain coffee's characteristics. These varieties, more akin to "cocktail" coffee, are also sought by consumers due to the Blue Mountain name.

Classification and Growing Regions

Coffee from Jamaica's Blue Mountain region has three grades: Blue Mountain Coffee, Jamaica High Mountain Supreme Coffee Beans, and Jamaica Prime Coffee Beans. Among these, Blue Mountain Coffee and High Mountain Coffee are each divided into two sub-grades. From highest to lowest quality, they are: Blue Mountain No. 1, Blue Mountain No. 2, High Mountain No. 1, High Mountain No. 2, and Jamaica Prime Coffee. Typically, coffee grown between altitudes of 457 to 1524 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 1800 meters altitude can be called Blue Mountain coffee. In terms of price, Blue Mountain coffee costs several times more 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. Based on this classification, areas surrounding the Blue Mountain range have also begun producing coffee under the Blue Mountain name. Blue Mountain coffee has the best flavor between 1800 and 2200 meters altitude, therefore, FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee is named after the coffee beans produced in this specific region. Coffee enthusiasts who love Blue Mountain are even more particular, insisting that only coffee grown between 1850-1860 meters is true Blue Mountain coffee, making it their life's pleasure to taste coffee from this altitude.

The Modern Status

Regardless of these circumstances, today's Blue Mountain coffee holds the prestigious reputation of noble coffee. Blue Mountain coffee has conquered the world's palate with its quality, and its fame allows it to maintain excellent prices to this day. Meanwhile, coffee connoisseurs continue to insist on enjoying Blue Mountain coffee exclusively in social settings.

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