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, she 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 a 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." From the perspective of Wallenford's coffee production, though, the story can only be considered legend. Wallenford was the earliest coffee plantation in Jamaica. Thanks to its exceptionally favorable geography, the coffee produced there has large beans and excellent quality, with a rich, mellow taste that is universally recognized as premium coffee. Its slightly acidic soil also gives the coffee a flavor distinct from ordinary Arabica - a slight acidity that is precisely what sets Blue Mountain coffee apart from its Ethiopian origins. Wallenford lies in the Blue Mountain range. When British soldiers first arrived in Jamaica and saw the peaks wrapped in blue light, they exclaimed, "Look, blue mountains!" - and the name stuck. In reality, Jamaica is surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. On clear days, brilliant sunlight strikes the water, and the distant peaks are wrapped in a faint, ethereal blue haze as the light refracts off the azure sea, 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, 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 sits in the St. Andrew region, where its suitable altitude provides exceptionally favorable conditions for coffee. However, Central America lies between the world's two largest oceans and is influenced by the American Central Great Plains, creating a rather harsh environment that kept 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. For that reason, it is impossible that the package received by the British Queen in the legend was pure Wallenford coffee, since pure Wallenford coffee was no longer available in that era.

Because of Jamaica's independent advantages in coffee production, cultivation continued to be promoted after the hurricanes, making the island a region contested by foreign investors. In the end, Japan gained the upper hand in this 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. 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 the supply, 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 the Blue Mountain name brings. Marketers seek various ways to obtain Blue Mountain coffee business rights. Besides Japan, coffee sellers around the world compete for the remaining 10% quota. Some small coffee shops also display Blue Mountain coffee, but what they offer is certainly not grown in the Blue Mountain range - it is often counterfeit. Working from Blue Mountain's flavor profile, they blend various beans in an attempt to replicate even a hint of its character. These varieties, closer to "cocktail" coffee, are also sought after by consumers because of 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. 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 457 and 1524 meters is called High Mountain coffee, coffee grown between 274 and 457 meters is called Jamaica coffee, and only coffee grown in the Blue Mountain region above 1800 meters can be called Blue Mountain coffee. In 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. Given 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, and FrontStreet Coffee's Blue Mountain coffee is named after the beans produced in this specific region. Enthusiasts who love Blue Mountain are even more particular, insisting that only coffee grown between 1850 and 1860 meters is true Blue Mountain coffee, and making it their life's pleasure to taste coffee from that altitude.

The Modern Status

Regardless of these circumstances, today's Blue Mountain coffee holds the prestigious reputation of a noble coffee. Blue Mountain coffee has conquered the world's palate with its quality, and its fame allows it to command excellent prices to this day. Meanwhile, coffee connoisseurs continue to insist on enjoying Blue Mountain coffee only on special occasions.

FrontStreet Coffee Recommendation

To taste the genuine article behind all this history, look for FrontStreet Coffee's Jamaica Blue Mountain No. 1 - the highest grade of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee, judged on bean size, defect rate, and overall quality. It comes from the historic Clifton Estate, where coffee has been grown and processed since roughly 1750, on land averaging about 4,300 feet (1310.64 meters), where ample altitude, mild afternoon cloud shading the slopes, generous sunlight, and mineral-rich soil give the trees excellent growing conditions and slow the cherries' ripening. FrontStreet Coffee ships it in the traditional wooden barrels - the 15, 45, and 70-kilogram casks that genuine Blue Mountain has always travelled in, each printed with the lot's details - alongside complete origin certification, so the coffee's source can be traced clearly.

Roasted medium-dark, it brings out Blue Mountain's classic rich body and the traditional sweet-after-bitterness character. Brew it as a pour-over with a Kono dripper and a 15-gram dose, resting the beans 4 to 7 days from the roast date; grind slightly coarser than for a light roast, about the texture of granulated sugar, and use 87-88C water at a 1:15 ratio. Pour in three stages - 30g for a 30-second bloom, up to 120g, then up to 225g - for a cup that is very clean and complex, very mild, with chocolate sweetness and a strong body, in which sweetness, acidity, and bitterness come together perfectly.