In this process of exploring and learning about different coffee varieties, we've traveled to different regions of the world and discovered that this famous bean has as many birthplaces as it has great flavors. The variety we'll discuss today has as much flavor as its place of origin. Blue Mountain coffee is grown in the highest part of the Caribbean, amidst Rastafarian rhythms and two emblematic cities of beautiful Jamaica: Kingston and Port Antonio.
This variety, like many specialty coffee varieties, is grown slightly higher than usual; in the case of Blue Mountain, it can be found at around 2,000 meters above sea level. It was brought to Jamaica from Martinique during the French colonial era by Governor Nicolas Lowe in 1728, and the Haitian revolution of 1791 helped develop the plantations, thanks to Haitian exiles.
Features and production
Blue Mountain is a variety of the Typica, one of the oldest and best quality varieties in the world This variety is characterized by large, broad trees, which means a production of only a few trees per crop. Furthermore, its beans are good-sized and low-yielding, with a low caffeine concentration and a blue-green color, but its main characteristic is its high quality. Blue Mountain is a bean with a great flavor, reflected in the cup. Its low production is offset by its price, which is well above average for other coffees, but its quality backs it up.
Production in Jamaica is carried out in an artisanal manner, adding value to the product. Organic fertilizers are used, the coffee is harvested manually, washed, and dried directly in the sun in the traditional manner. Harvesting this coffee is somewhat complex because the area is more humid than other coffee-growing regions and is located on an incline that in some places reaches more than 45°. But one of the most notable characteristics that distinguishes it as an exclusive coffee is its storage method, which changes from the usual bags or bundles to barrels.
This Jamaican variety produces a cup with smooth tones, medium acidity, and although its body isn't particularly noticeable among its characteristics, its light woody flavor and unmistakable aroma will make you remember the taste of Jamaican coffee for the rest of your life.
Do you want to try it?
I think we're all curious to try it and discover with our palates why it's considered one of the best specialty coffees. But its high price isn't the only thing that makes it difficult to savor its flavor. Part of its high value is due to the fact that the Blue Mountain variety is a favorite in Asian countries, especially in Japan, which imports 80% of its production, which, as we've already mentioned, doesn't have the highest production volumes.
And it's understandable why the Japanese love it. Its soft tones and fruity and woody flavors make it a true pleasure to the palate, and combined with its caffeine level of just 1%, it's a coffee for those who love hot, light, and flavorful beverages. Japanese people generally brew filter coffee and don't usually add cream to their preparation, so this variety is ideal for them.
Although Japan is quite far away, we can always dream of visiting the Blue Mountains and enjoying a beautiful sunny sunrise, overlooking the blue sea and the jungle mountains of Jamaica behind us, holding a typical Jamaican cup of coffee with its best flavors. Starting our day with its fruity and chocolatey notes, we stimulate our senses: the landscape with that magnificent view, the taste with the delicious coffee, and the smell with that unique aroma that promises us a coffee of the highest quality and exclusivity. Because coffee will always be an experience that we should enjoy with all our senses.
But until the day arrives to experience this, we can continue enjoying Colombian coffees , which are also of high quality. Furthermore, some Colombian coffee growers have already managed to bring this variety from Jamaica and have successfully harvested it, so the possibility of experiencing this exclusive experience is not so far off, and the Colombian landscape can perfectly complement it.
