Why is Jamaican coffee like Blue Mountain so expensive?

Blue Mountain Coffee grows in the high-altitude Blue Mountains of eastern Jamaica, where volcanic soil, fog, and heavy rain, about 1,980 mm a year, shape a balanced cup with sweetness, acidity, and bitterness. The pure Typica variety arrived in the eighteenth century, and the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board controls exports through quality standards, authorization certificates, and certificates of origin.

Grades separate Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee from Jamaican High Mountain Coffee, and most of the crop is consumed in Japan, Europe, the United States, and China, which keeps supply tight. The article covers origin traits, Clifton Farm, authenticity checks, and price, and notes that Jamaican coffee ranks among the most expensive, after Kopi Luwak.

Blue Mountain Coffee is produced in the high-altitude areas of the Blue Mountains in eastern Jamaica. It is named after the blue glow reflected off the Caribbean Sea. It belongs to the same system as Jamaican High Mountain Coffee but differs in grade. This region has fertile volcanic soil, a tropical climate with frequent fog and rain year-round, and the pure Typica variety introduced in the 18th century along with early wet-processing methods, which together create the classic flavor of Blue Mountain Coffee with its balance of sweetness, acidity, and bitterness. Most Blue Mountain Coffee currently circulating on the market is consumed by markets such as Japan, Europe, the United States, and China. The Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIB) controls exports through mechanisms such as quality standards, authorization certificates, and certificates of origin. This article will provide coffee lovers with a complete overview of this legendary coffee from aspects including the characteristics of its origin, the appearance and flavor of Front Street Blue Mountain Coffee, key points for identifying authenticity, the reasons for choosing Clifton Farm, and the price of Blue Mountain Coffee.

The Origin Background of Blue Mountain Coffee

So-called Blue Mountain Coffee refers to coffee made from coffee beans produced in the high-altitude areas of Jamaica's Blue Mountains. By grade, it is further divided into Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee and Jamaican High Mountain Coffee. The Blue Mountains are located in eastern Jamaica, surrounded by the Caribbean Sea. On clear days, sunlight shines directly on the sea surface, and the blue shimmer reflects onto the peaks, which is how the Blue Mountains got their name. The main peak of the Blue Mountains reaches 2,256 meters and is not only the highest point in the Caribbean region but also a famous tourist destination.

This region lies in an earthquake zone, with nutrient-rich volcanic soil, clean and pollution-free air, high humidity, year-round clouds and mist, and frequent rainfall (average annual precipitation of about 1,980 mm, with temperatures around 27°C). It is precisely these natural conditions that have nurtured the world-renowned Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee and made it the second most expensive coffee in the world, after Kopi Luwak.

The Flavor Characteristics of Front Street Blue Mountain Coffee

Front Street Blue Mountain coffee beans are outstanding in quality. In appearance, the beans are plump, uniform in size, and large in shape, making them very friendly to roasting. Taking the washed Blue Mountain coffee produced by Front Street as an example, the roasted Blue Mountain beans are uniform in color and carry distinct aromas of toasted bread and roasted almonds. On the palate, it is mellow and rich, with sweetness, acidity, and bitterness perfectly balanced. It drinks neither sharply acidic nor bitter, and the overall impression is very smooth.

This situation is inseparable from the coffee revival plan promoted by the Jamaican government in the 1950s. In 1950, Jamaica established the Coffee Industry Board, responsible for formulating and supervising coffee quality standards to ensure the stability of the country's coffee quality. The board issues exclusive official seals for exported green beans and roasted beans, and uses Japanese loans to improve production conditions, thereby maintaining market order.

In terms of cultivation, Jamaica grows the pure Typica introduced in the 18th century. Because Jamaica is an island environment with limited contact with the outside world, it fortunately avoided the coffee leaf rust disease that swept the globe in the 19th century, allowing the local Typica trees to survive to this day. In terms of processing, Jamaica was one of the earliest producing regions to adopt the washed processing method. Washing can significantly improve coffee quality, which is also an important reason why Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans are of such excellent quality.

Japan has long invested in Jamaica's coffee industry, so most Blue Mountain Coffee is controlled by Japan, and Japan also enjoys priority purchasing rights for Blue Mountain beans. In 1992, Jamaica sold 688 tons of Blue Mountain Coffee to Japan, exported 75 tons to the United States, and only 59 tons to the United Kingdom. There was once a situation on the market where "90% of Blue Mountain beans were monopolized by Japan, and other regions could only get 10%," so regardless of price, Blue Mountain Coffee has always been in short supply. For Japanese people, the obsession with Blue Mountain is extremely strong. Even at Blue Mountain coffee farms in Jamaica, traces of Japan's UCC can often be seen.

After the contract between the two sides expired, it coincided with the global economic crisis. Japan's economy was weak and its purchasing power declined. In addition, Jamaican coffee farmers were unwilling to continue being monopolized by Japanese merchants, so they significantly raised the price of green coffee beans. As of now, Japan's share of purchases of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee has dropped from the original 90% to less than 60%. In the current era of thriving coffee culture, our country is already able to import Blue Mountain coffee beans directly from Jamaica.

How to Identify Authentic Blue Mountain Coffee Beans?

Blue Mountain Coffee holds an extremely high position in the coffee world, so a large number of imitation Blue Mountain-style coffees have emerged on the market. You may have drunk Blue Mountain Coffee, but true Blue Mountain Coffee is actually not easy to identify.

After summarizing, Front Street found that fake Blue Mountain coffees on the market can be roughly divided into two categories. The first category plays on the name and is usually labeled as "Blue Mountain Flavor Coffee," "Blue Mountain Blend Coffee," "Blue Mountain Mixed Coffee," etc. Seeing such names basically allows one to judge them as fake Blue Mountain, mostly disguised with beans from Brazil, Colombia, and Indonesia. The second category consists of true fakes, using non-Blue Mountain coffee beans to impersonate Blue Mountain beans. Strictly according to CIB standards, only coffee grown above 910 meters (3,000 feet) in elevation can be called Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, and it must be centrally purchased and processed by the 4 legally designated estates certified by the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIB). Even worse is directly substituting other coffee beans for Blue Mountain beans; a milder case is passing off Jamaican coffee from outside the core Blue Mountain area as Blue Mountain beans. In such cases, certification needs to be checked.

The following three key points can be used for judgment: export companies designated by the National Coffee Board, the only producing region that uses wooden barrels for green beans, and authorization certificate certification.

1. True Blue Mountain Coffee is exported by export companies designated by the National Coffee Board.

Some authentic Blue Mountain NO.1 in the Chinese market is mainly exported to China through directly operated branches in Japan, Australia, and Europe. In 2013, according to statistics from the International Coffee Organization (ICO), Japan accounted for 85% of the allocation, while the United States, Europe, and other countries each accounted for 5%.

ICO statistics show that China accounts for 15% of Blue Mountain Coffee consumption. It is worth noting that the limited Blue Mountain NO.1 is mostly allocated to Japan, the United States, and Europe. Among them, because Japan has invested in Jamaica's coffee industry, most Blue Mountain Coffee has been bought out by Japan. In 1992, Jamaica sold 688 tons of Blue Mountain Coffee to Japan, 75 tons to the United States, and only 59 tons to the United Kingdom.

In 2005, Jamaica's Minister of Agriculture announced that Blue Mountain Coffee should be roasted within Jamaica. Subsequently, through quota allocation, it tended to flow directly from Jamaica to consumer countries. This allocation system was recognized by the Jamaica Coffee Board (CIB). (Note: CIB board members are composed of estate owners with estates above a certain scale in Jamaica.)

In addition, the officially registered logo of the Jamaica Coffee Board is used for certification and inspection of exported Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, and the BLUEMOUNTAINCOFFEE trademark is the symbol on the outer packaging of authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.

By 2022, China had established large-volume direct trade with Jamaica. For example, most Blue Mountain coffee beans from Clifton Farm and Silver Hill Estate were shipped to China. Therefore, if the coffee introduction information states that it comes from these estates, its credibility is greatly increased.

2. True Blue Mountain Coffee is the only producing region that uses wooden barrels for green beans.

Blue Mountain Coffee is so far the only coffee-producing region among all coffees that uses wooden barrels to hold green beans. Other coffee exports all use gunny sacks.

During the British colonial period in the mid-18th century, after the flour shipped from Britain to Jamaica was used up, the empty barrels were recycled to transport coffee and rum in order to isolate the coffee aroma and ensure coffee quality. The barrels used today are all made from timber from temperate forests in the United States.

3. Certificate Certification

(1) Quality certificate issued by the Jamaica Coffee Board (2) Authorized sales certificate issued by Blue Mountain Coffee producers (Blue Mountain Coffee is distributed by 4 processing manufacturers licensed by the Jamaican government and exported by 16 licensed exporters) (3) Certificate of origin for Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

Taking FrontStreet Coffee as an example, Front Street has an authorized sales certificate issued by a Blue Mountain Coffee producer. If consumers want to determine whether it is authentic Blue Mountain Coffee, they can ask the shop whether it has original wooden barrels, certificates, and other proof.

Why Does Front Street Use Blue Mountain Coffee from Clifton Farm?

Clifton Estate is the oldest coffee estate in Jamaica, and only Clifton Farm in Jamaica has the "(RFA) Rainforest Water Frog" mark.

Only those that meet the "Sustainable Agriculture System Standards" can obtain this certification, and its wooden barrels are printed with the rainforest certification mark.

In addition, the Jamaica Coffee Board (CIB) authorizes four legally designated coffee estates—Wallenford, Jablum, Silver Hill, and Moy Hall—to centrally process Blue Mountain coffee beans. All outer packaging of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is marked with the name of the processing estate. Mavis Bank Coffee Factory, founded in 1923, is the largest estate for Blue Mountain Coffee, and its wooden barrels are printed with M.B.C.F. At the same time, Blue Mountain coffee beans from Clifton Farm were also among the first batch imported to mainland China.

Blue Mountain Coffee Price

Many friends know that Blue Mountain Coffee is expensive, but they are not clear about its actual selling price. In fact, Blue Mountain Coffee is indeed much more expensive than ordinary coffee beans, but in the current "Geisha era," the price of Blue Mountain coffee beans is still reasonable. Taking the retail price of FrontStreet Coffee as an example, the roasted beans price of Front Street Jamaican Blue Mountain No. 1 coffee beans is 158 yuan/100g, which is even cheaper than Geisha coffee beans from famous estates today. If you want to drink a cup of Front Street Blue Mountain pour-over coffee at a coffee shop, it costs only 60 yuan.

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.