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Food

Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee: what makes it so unique?

by Christine Faughlin
Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee: what makes it so unique?
Traditional Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee barrels

It’s been described as one of the rarest coffees in the world – accounting for just 0.1% of the world’s coffee production – but the scarcity of Blue Mountain Coffee is only one part of what makes it so desirable. At the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival in Kingston, between fun barista demos, lively reggae sessions and impromptu dance performances, we found out exactly what makes this coffee so unique.

1. It has two-thirds less caffeine than other coffees

‘So you can drink five cups a day without getting the jitters,’ explains Alton ‘Junior’ Bedward of Craighton Estate, who runs tours at the estate’s 300-acre coffee plantation located deep in the foothills of Jamaica’s misty Blue Mountains.

2. It's great in a cocktail

As it's made from 100% arabica beans, rather than robusta, it has a sweeter, more nuanced flavour and a smoother finish – perfect in a cocktail. The talented mixologists at local mobile cocktail makers Bubbles Bottles Brews & Beverages kept festival-goers happy with excellent Coconut White Russian, Guinness Frappuccino and Coconut Espresso Martini cocktails.

Coconut White Russian cocktail
Coconut White Russian cocktail

3. It's grown at very specific elevations

In order to be classified ‘Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee’ the beans must be grown at high altitude – between 3,000 and 5,500 feet. Any lower and it can’t legally carry the label ‘Blue Mountain’ even if it's from the same region.

4. It must pass strict quality control checks

The Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica inspects every batch after roasting, putting it through a series of checks for consistency, authenticity and quality.

Enjoying the festival
Enjoying the festival

5. Beans are picked, sorted and inspected by hand

This old-school attention to detail in the world of coffee production is rare. So too are the wooden barrels used to transport the beans once they’ve passed inspection.

6. Japan buys the majority of it

Truly authentic Blue Mountain coffee is hard to get hold of outside Jamaica or Japan, which imports a whopping 80% of all Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee.

Jerk Bad Dawg – a suprising partner for coffee
Jerk Bad Dawg – a suprising partner for coffee

7. It pairs surprisingly well with hot dogs!

Thanks to the cool climate and rich volcanic soil the coffee is grown in, it has a balanced acidity and exceptionally low bitterness, so it pairs perfectly with savoury items packing a serious umami punch. We drank it alongside loaded jerk ‘bad dawgs’ – spicy ‘bigga, betta, badda’ sausages with caramelised onions, pepper sauce and all the trimmings. It’s no ordinary hot dog, but then again, it’s no ordinary coffee.

Stay a while…

Stay a while…

If you visit Jamaica to attend the festival, which is usually held on the first Saturday in March each year, stay at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, which has an on-site 24-hour coffee shop, the only one in all of Jamaica. If you’re heading for the coast afterwards, stay at Sandals Dunn’s River, which has an excellent onsite coffee shop, BLŪM, and their own coffee roast. You can even get a Blue Mountain coffee scrub at the resort’s spa. For information on the festival, see Visit Jamaica

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