The second rainy period facilitates the continued intense ripening of coffee berries for reaping, which generally takes place between September and early winter. Key, early rains also provide extra protection for seedlings before the onset of the dry summer months. In the late summer and early fall, the Blue Mountains experience a second and more prominent rainy period, usually between August and November with a peak in October.įlowering on coffee shrubs usually begins in February and March, and the island’s early rains are needed for the continued development of the berries during this time. Generally, Jamaica’s precipitation is characterized by a bimodal pattern, with a critically important early rainy season occurring from April to June and peaking around May. Over roughly 10 months, the extended coffee growing season and high rainfall of the Blue Mountains facilitate a slower, deeper maturation and are a key factor in the development of this luxury product. The harvesting periods of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee are unlike any other coffee grown in the world. “Attempts to replicate Blue Mountain coffee,” one former chief executive of the island’s Coffee Industry Board said in an interview, “will fail, because it is impossible to get anywhere else unique combination of topography, sunshine, temperature, rainfall, cloud cover and soil type.” How is Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee harvested and processed? The Blue Mountain’s Arabica typica trees are unique to the island, requiring special and skilled care. Over two rainy seasons, the beans in the Blue Mountains mature at a slower rate than anywhere else, and they develop a depth of acidity, aroma and sweetness that lends the coffee its highly-favored flavor. In the afternoons, a mist envelopes the slopes of the Blue Mountains and moderates the temperature and humidity, slowing the ripening process. This is an area of Jamaica with distinctive environmental conditions which slow the ripening of the berries and produce Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee’s distinctive flavor.Ĭool and misty with high rainfall, the Blue Mountain region possesses nutrient-rich soil and an ideal climate for coffee production. Lesser renowned coffee is grown below these elevations, like Jamaica High Mountain and Supreme varieties. Where is Blue Mountain coffee grown?Ĭertified Blue Mountain coffee can only be produced in an exclusive region of the island’s Blue Mountains, which form a crown around the island’s eastern side.īlue Mountain coffee is produced on roughly 14,000 acres of land and, more specifically, can only be grown between elevations of 3,000 and 5,500 feet in the island parishes of Saint Thomas, Saint Andrew, Saint Mary and Portland. The taste is complex-often with hints of chocolate, a bright acidity and almost no bitterness.Īt its best, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee produces a quintessential cup and one of the world’s most premium and luxury brews. ![]() Blue Mountain beans are known for their unusually sweet flavor and richness, yielding a coffee that is cream-like. A wet processed (or washed) coffee, Blue Mountain beans yield a coffee that is silky and well-balanced, with a full body and classic, refined taste. In addition to being incredibly scarce, Blue Mountain coffee is renowned for its characteristically sophisticated flavor. So, why is Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee so valuable? While Jamaica produces less than 0.1% of the world’s coffee, Jamaican Blue Mountain beans command an average unit price of roughly $22-$35 dollars per kilogram, where the average global export price for Arabica coffee hovers around $4 for the same amount.Īt market, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee consistently retails around $80 to $100 dollars per pound, retaining an indestructible reputation as the most sought after coffee in the world. ![]() ![]() Grown in the exclusive region of the island’s eastern mountains, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee earns the highest unit value for its export than any other Arabica coffee bean. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is the crown jewel of the specialty coffee market, and its beans are prized around the world as the highest quality luxury coffee consumers can buy.
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