From the mountains of Carribbean, to the cups of Japanese coffee lovers : A Blue Mountain Tale
While during the past years, fine tasting and the search for special, luxurious flavors had to do almost exclusively with wine, the tendency to discover special and unique flavors in products we tend to regard as everyday habits, such as coffee, has reached our country. More and more consumers are looking for quality coffees that can turn their everyday habit to a unique experience. For anyone who has even the slightest idea about coffee, the quality coffee that is regarded the most special of all is no other than Jamaica Blue Mountain.
From the same root, planted by Nicholas Lawes, emerged the plantations that made Jamaica one of the world’s most acknowledged coffee producing countries. The fertile, volcanic soil, the frequent rains and the high altitude were the ideal conditions for the growth of coffee trees and resulted in coffee beans with special flavor and distinct aroma, while Blue Mountain was the crown jewel of Jamaica’s coffee production. Blue Mountain is classified as Arabica Coffee, but those who have tasted this special coffee, speak of the particular sweetness in the coffee’s body, the rich aroma and the discreet acidity, as well as the characteristic absence of the well-known "bitterness" of coffee
Apart from its unique flavor, the reputation of Jamaica Blue Mountain is also owed to its rareness. In a land with such a small coffee production, like Jamaica, only a small percentage of the plantations, located in the north of Kingston, are capable of producing the famous Blue Mountain. Blue Mountain production is regulated with very strict criteria in order to gain the precious name. The restriction does not only concern specific geographical areas, but also determines the altitude of the plantations: only coffee produced in plantations at an altitude of 910 - 1700 meters can be described as Blue Mountain. Lower-level plantations also produce remarkable, but inferior varieties of coffee such as High Mountain and Low Mountain.
Blue Mountain's special production conditions enrich coffee with unique flavor and special character, but also increase its production costs. Due to altitude and humidity, the harvest time can exceed ten months, twice as long as the time needed in conventional plantations. Harvesting the precious grains can be a dangerous adventure, as coffee trees are planted in small clusters, usually on slopes almost permanently covered by mist. A lot of labor and hard working hands are required for a cup of fine Jamaica Blue Mountain. Moreover, the bean selection continues to be done exclusively by hand by skilled workers, aiming at absolute quality assurance.
Things get more difficult for western coffee tasters, as 80% of Blue Mountain’s total production is directly exported to Japan, making the precious and widely demanded Blue Mountain even more rare. If you ever have the chance, take a dare - a simple everyday habit will turn into an unforgettable gastronomic experience.
Photo source : https://bit.ly/2LLEFqp
