How does Sherwood Estate blue mountain coffee taste?
Sherwood Estate Blue Mountain Peaberry is a washed Typica grown in Jamaica's St. Thomas region at 1,200 to 1,600 meters on volcanic soil. The cup carries apple, lemon, jasmine and rose aromas, soft fruit acidity with some brightness, a medium body and a smooth, sweet finish.
The estate has produced coffee since 1797, is owned by a small Jamaican family and accounts for only about 2 percent of the total Blue Mountain harvest. It holds certification from the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board. The Typica PB beans are hand-picked and hand-processed, which supports the balanced, easy-drinking profile many tasters associate with blue mountains coffee.
Located in the St. Thomas region of Jamaica, Sherwood Estate has focused on Blue Mountain coffee production since 1797. Its output accounts for only 2% of the total Blue Mountain coffee harvest, yet thanks to hand-processing and strict quality control, it is regarded as one of Jamaica's finest Blue Mountain coffees. This article will guide you through Sherwood Estate's growing environment and processing methods, and take a deep dive into the flavor characteristics of its Blue Mountain Peaberry—from apple and lemon to jasmine and rose aromas, and the balanced expression of soft fruit acidity and a sweet finish. If you are curious about the taste of Blue Mountain PB, this detailed introduction from Front Street is not to be missed.
Front Street Jamaica Sherwood Estate Blue Mountain Peaberry
Region: Sherwood
Growing altitude: 1,200-1,600 meters
Variety: Typica
Soil type: Volcanic soil
Grading standard: Peaberry
Processing method: Washed process
Harvest method: Hand-picked
Estate established: 1797
Average annual temperature/rainfall: 21°C/2,500 mm
Flavor description: It releases aromas of apple, lemon, jasmine, and rose. The fruit acidity is soft yet retains a certain brightness. The vivid fruit acidity then transforms into a warm, gentle sweetness. The body is medium, and the mouthfeel is smooth and easy to drink, achieving an excellent overall balance.
Sherwood Coffee Estate is owned by a small Jamaican family and operates in the village of Hagley Gap in the St. Thomas region of southeastern Jamaica. The estate's output accounts for only about 2% of the total Blue Mountain coffee harvest. It relies on hand-production and is widely recognized as one of Jamaica's finest coffees, having also obtained quality certification from the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIBOJ). As of 2015, Sherwood Forest was once one of the estates under RSW Estate. Later, RSW retained only the highest-altitude Sherwood block, and Sherwood thereby became independent. The estate and its processing plant have been in operation since 1797, and from the 1950s onward, management was taken over by the Deichman family. At that time, the current operator's father purchased this land and replanted coffee at an elevation of about 1,372 meters.
In 1999, Deichman upgraded the estate and processing plant equipment, adopting all-new modern equipment to process green beans while continuing traditional craftsmanship and implementing strict environmental protection measures. The ratio of male to female employees at the estate is roughly half and half, and both management and regular staff come from surrounding villages. Because the altitude is sufficiently high, the mountains are often shrouded in clouds and mist in the afternoon. This shaded environment is very beneficial for coffee tree growth, as it prevents the midday sun from becoming too hot and allows the fruit to develop and accumulate nutrients more fully. The harvest period is slightly later than that of other Jamaican Blue Mountains, with the picking season running from March to June each year. Fresh hand-picked red cherries from its own estate as well as a small number of other estates (such as well-known small Blue Mountain farms like Arntully and Moy Hall) are sent to Sherwood's washed processing station. Sherwood insists on never using coffee of unknown origin.
After picking, the red cherries are immediately depulped, then fully washed and fermented for 24 hours to enhance the flavor. During the washing process, the estate insists on not using machines or brushes to roughly remove the mucilage, but instead relies solely on fermentation to let the mucilage fall away naturally. After that, 100% full sun-drying is used to reduce the moisture content of the green beans to 11.5%, with no artificial drying at all. This sun-drying process also makes the coffee's overall aroma and body thicker and fuller. The dried parchment beans are placed in underground storage with temperature and humidity control for at least eight weeks before hulling. The warehouse is equipped with two commercial dehumidifiers and two tons of air-conditioning equipment, with the environment controlled at 19.4°C and 52% humidity. To ensure quality, Sherwood only provides customers with hand-picked small-lot batches and well-stored green beans, and does not hoard green beans for later sale.
In the dry processing stage, the green coffee beans are sent to the warehouse for storage on the evening after processing, until they are delivered to the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board (CIBOJ). CIBOJ inspects the green beans for size, defects, and moisture content through color sorting and cupping. Ultimately, these carefully processed Sherwood green beans are exported under the "SFCC" (Sherwood Forest Coffee Co.) barrel trademark.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
