Jamaican Coffee Valenford Manor introduces the flavor and taste characteristics of Jamaican coffee

By 1981, about 1500 hectares of land had been cleared for coffee in Jamaica, followed by investment in another 6000 hectares. In fact, today's Blue Mountain region is a small area of only 6000 hectares, and not all the coffee labeled "Blue Mountain" can be grown there. An additional 12000 hectares are devoted to growing two other types of coffee (non-Blue Mountain coffee): High Mountain Supreme and Jamaica Prime Washed Jamaican.

The real Blue Mountain Coffee is one of the world's best grown coffees, and Jamaica's weather, geology and terrain combine to provide the ideal location. The ridge across Jamaica extends to the east of the island, and the Blue Mountains rise to more than 2100 meters. Cool, foggy weather and frequent rainfall have tempered this fertile land with rain. Here coffee trees are grown in mixed cropping, alongside banana and avocado trees on terraces.

Blue Mountain coffee is also grown on small estates such as Wallenford Estate, Silver Hill Estate, and J. Martinez's Atlanta Estate. Even the largest planters in the region are small-scale farmers by international standards, many of whom are smallholders whose families have worked the land for two centuries. The coffee industry in Jamaica faces a number of problems, such as the effects of hurricanes, increased labor costs and difficulties in mechanizing terraces. Many small estates and farms are difficult to rationalize.

Blue Mountain Coffee, however, is one of those coffee retailers that value credibility and want to stock some coffee anyway. A leading British retailer says he will continue to sell Blue Mountain coffee all year round regardless of price because he has many customers who only recognize Blue Mountain.

Today, 90% of post-harvest Blue Mountain coffee is purchased by Japanese. In 1992, Jamaica sold 688 tons of Blue Mountain coffee to Japan, 75 tons to the United States and 59 tons to Britain. Blue Mountain coffee is now in short supply, regardless of price, because the rest of the world can only get 10 percent of its production. For many years Langford Brothers was the sole supplier in Britain. The Edmonds Group was later supplied by Salda Foods of Jamaica.

Blue Mountain coffee differs from other coffees in transportation in that it is transported in 70 kg barrels, which are copies of Bonifieur barrels produced in Guadeloupe last century. These barrels were originally used to carry flour from England to Jamaica, usually bearing the brand name and manufacturer's name. The Coffee Industry Council issues a certificate for all pure Jamaica coffee and stamps it before export.

The government of Jamaica used to insist that all Blue Mountain coffee was roasted in Jamaica to ensure quality. In fact, baking is a fine art, and doing it well requires experience, training, and expensive equipment. From the consumer's perspective, coffee beans should be available and consumed immediately after roasting. Coffee roasted in Jamaica is unlikely to meet this requirement. Jamaica's green coffee beans are now ready for export.

(The above text comes from Jon Thorn's The Coffee Companion Coffee Appreciation Manual, Chinese translation Yang Shu)

Other small information

Map with Neighbors Location:

Jamaica is an Indian word meaning "island of springs."

In 1962, the Queen of England awarded Jamaica the coat of arms, a coat of arms with a red cross on a white ground. The red cross symbolizes Jamaica people's belief in Christianity and Catholicism. Five golden pineapples hang down and are distributed in the square and intersection of the cross, showing that Jamaica's planting industry is developed. A green crocodile lies at the top of the coat of arms; a yellow band with the words "Excellence, One Nation" in English is decorated at the base of the coat of arms. On each side were two Arawak Indians wearing bright headdresses and red and green feather skirts; the young woman on the left held the coat of arms in her left hand and a basket of pineapples in her right hand; the young man on the right held the coat of arms in his right hand and a long bow in his left hand