Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
The island of Jamaica is world-famous for many things, reggae music, sandy beaches, Bob Marley as well as coffee. The high esteem for Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee among avid coffee consumers has sent its price up to between $46 and $60 per pound. You might well ask what is it about this particular joe that warrants such a high price tag?
True to its name, Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is grown in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica, located between Port Maria in the north and Kingston to the south. Rising to 7,500 feet, the Blue Mountains are the highest part of the Caribbean. The area is characterized by wet, cool weather and dark, rich earth with good drainage, ideal prerequisites for cultivating coffee. Although coffee is not native to Jamaica, it is the island’s chief export.
Not just any old type of coffee can call itself Jamaican Blue Mountain. The Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica must certify each and every bag of coffee to make sure that only beans of the highest quality display the prestigious trademark. The Board only recognizes beans grown in specific parishes of Jamaica: St Mary, Portland, St Andrew and St Thomas.
The geographical region that cultivates Jamaican blue mountain coffee is fairly restricted and can only produce so much coffee. The limited availability, the matchless quality resulting from pains taking cultivation, the seductive aroma and the world-famous name of Jamaican Blue Mountain have undoubtedly contributed to its reputation as one of the most desired coffees in the world – more so than columbian coffee, or French roast coffee, for instance. As long as hardcore coffee drinkers continue to covet it, it will be also one of the most expensive.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 31st, 2009 at 6:07 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.