Why do Jamaica Blue Mountain RSW beans reach No. 1 grade?
RSW is a group of three Jamaican estates, Resource, Sherwood Forest and Whitfield Hall, whose initials name the consortium. Coffee sold under RSW comes only from these estates inside the Blue Mountain region, which is why the barrels carry the RSW mark and a blue certificate. The group represents 100% authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain plantation coffee beans.
Resource Estate sits in the Yallahs Valley at about 1,200 meters and has been managed by owner Cecil Langford for over 40 years, growing from 10 acres to roughly 30. Sherwood alone covers four production areas. Because these beans do grow on trees at high elevation, slow cherry development and careful processing help the lots meet the Blue Mountain No. 1 grade.
Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee has always been a standout among specialty coffees, and the RSW estate group is a highly representative presence within the Blue Mountain region. RSW is composed of three estates—Resource, Sherwood Forest, and Whitfield Hall—named after their respective initials, representing the origin of 100% authentic Jamaican Blue Mountain beans. This article will take you deep into the geographical environment, cultivation traditions, and processing techniques of these three estates, from opening the barrel for inspection to cupping the flavor, fully presenting the unique charm of RSW Blue Mountain No. 1. Whether you are a seasoned coffee enthusiast or a newcomer to Blue Mountain, this article will help you gain a more comprehensive understanding of this legendary coffee.
Finding high-quality coffee beans this year has been noticeably more difficult, and the number of cupping sessions has been much more frequent than in previous years. Of course, good beans still exist, but they require more effort to discover.
When the RSW barrel is opened, the word "RSW" is clearly visible on the barrel, and the accompanying blue RSW certificate is also presented:
The so-called Jamaican Blue Mountain estate coffee is actually a consortium formed by three estates—Resource, Sherwood Forest, and Whitfield Hall—with the initials of each forming the abbreviation RSW. Therefore, RSW estate refers to 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans produced within the scope of these three estates.
The reason it is called an estate group is that Sherwood alone encompasses 4 production areas, and Sherwood itself is already a relatively large coffee farm within the Blue Mountain region.
Below is an introduction to each member of RSW:
(1) Resource: Resource Estate is located in the Yallahs Valley of the Blue Mountain region, at an elevation of 1,200 meters, making it the westernmost of the RSW estates. Driving from the capital Kingston takes about an hour and a half; along the road toward the Blue Mountain region, you first pass through Mavis Bank, then cross the Yallahs River, and subsequently ascend along the valley, with the estate situated just below the century-old cinchona medicinal botanical garden.
The estate owner, Cecil Langford, has managed this place for over 40 years. Over the years, the estate has gradually expanded from its initial 10 acres to 30 acres. In the early days, coffee was processed on-site after harvest, but now all cherries are sent to Sherwood Factory for post-harvest processing.
Most of the estate's coffee trees are planted on the northwest slopes of the mountain range, relying on the perennial streams and rivers from the north for irrigation. The estate currently has 4 full-time farmers, and the harvest period runs from November to early May of the following year, during which 60 local harvest workers are hired to assist.
(2) Sherwood Forest: Sherwood Forest is an estate group formed by Sherwood Forest & Eccleston Plantations, Upper New Battle, and Lower New Battle together. It is an extremely rare century-old traditional large farm in the Blue Mountain region, having begun cultivating coffee in the early 18th century and continuing to this day. The total area is about 1,000 acres, with elevations ranging from 800 meters to 2,000 meters.
Resource's coffee trees are all planned and developed based on terrain, sunlight conditions, seasonal mountain springs, and fertile volcanic soil, with the aim of allowing each independent planting zone to provide the optimal growing environment for coffee trees. Sherwood possesses the largest contiguous gentle high-altitude planting plateau in the Blue Mountain region. This large plateau is like Sherwood's treasure, affectionately called "Big Level" by locals. The plateau is located above a slope at an elevation of 4,400 feet, with an area of 100 acres. Big Level has fertile deep red volcanic soil, and combined with the cool mist and clouds drifting down from the Blue Mountain peak, the coffee produced in this area has become Sherwood's most proud high-quality Blue Mountain bean.
Sherwood has its own complete washing station and currently focuses on processing coffee cherries for RSW. It has also previously processed coffee cherries for other estates, such as:
(3) Whitfield Hall: Whitfield Hall Estate also operates a hostel business. It is located in the central part of the Blue Mountain region, also at an elevation of 4,000 feet. This is also the last overnight rest stop before hiking to the Blue Mountain Peak or Portland Gap.
The history of this estate dates back to 1776, when William Whitfield began producing coffee. At its peak, the coffee planting area reached 300 acres, and it had its own processing plant, which unfortunately was destroyed by a flood in 1909. Whitfield Hall's Great House offers accommodation, making it convenient for estate tours of RSW, and it also serves as a lodging and rest area on the way to climb Blue Mountain. If staying here, visits to the three RSW estate areas or the Sherwood Factory washing station can be arranged.
Currently, the production area is only 40 acres, surrounding the quaint Great House. This method of low-density coffee tree planting at high altitude on fertile soil is intended precisely to maintain estate tradition and produce Jamaica's finest Blue Mountain beans. (Note: William Whitfield Estate's philosophy and the painstaking management of the Great House bear some resemblance to competing with the famous old inn estate in this region.)
All ripe coffee cherries from RSW are sent to Sherwood after harvest. First, a visual inspection is conducted to remove debris and defective cherries, and the pulping is completed within 12 hours of delivery. The mucilage outside the pulp contains a sugary layer that must be removed during processing. At this stage, most coffee cherries are depulped using stiff brushes to scrub off the pulp layer and mucilage from the surface of the beans in order to save time; this time-saving method is similar to [semi-washed]. RSW, however, uses the [fermentation method] to let the mucilage layer fall off naturally, without the aid of other equipment. After fermentation is complete, the coffee cherries are washed, and then these parchment coffee beans are sun-dried on clean concrete floors. This period of sun drying is called—
Long periods of natural sun drying can indeed enhance the sweetness and flavor of the beans. RSW Estates is 100% sun dried (sun drying, guaranteed no machine drying). Drying must continue until the bean moisture content is between 11% and 13%, after which they are moved to a constant-temperature, constant-humidity environment at 24°C to rest for 2 to 3 months, which makes the flavor even more outstanding.
For export, hulling, polishing, and grading are done in small batches at low temperature. After these steps are completed, manual meticulous bean sorting is carried out: broken beans, cracked beans, off-color beans, and poor-flavor beans are all removed. Each worker can sort only 75 pounds per day. After manual sorting is completed, the beans are moved back to a constant-temperature, constant-humidity environment for storage. Before export, they are inspected by the Jamaica Coffee Board. After passing inspection, they are packed into oak barrels at Sherwood factory and then exported by air.
RSW's green beans are in good condition and dark green. RSW's quality control remains strict, and the price remains expensive.
Basic information:
Country: Jamaica Region: Blue Mountain RSW Estate Group
Variety: Jamaica Blue Mountain Grade: No.1
Processing method: traditional washed, 100% sun dried
Appearance/defects: 0d/350g green
Cupping report:
Dry aroma: tea, citrus, spice sweetness, lime
Wet aroma: spice sweetness, caramel, berries
Slurp: delicate oily body, good cleanliness, obvious sweetness, lime and berry acidity, delicate mouthfeel, sweet grassy aroma, lime sweetness, and a very long-lasting vanilla-plant sweetness in the finish.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
