Where and how to buy Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee (without being ripped off)

If you like smooth coffee with big flavours you’re going to love Blue Mountain coffee. It has a worldwide reputation for excellence with a price tag to match.

Our Top Pick

Jamaica Blue Mountain has a rich and overflowing taste

• 100% Certified Blue mountain beans
• Rainforest Alliance certified
• Estate: Clifton Mountain

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But is it all hype, or does this mystical bean live up to its expectations? And if you get hold of some how is it best enjoyed? If you’ve bought some before: have you falling victim to the blue mountain scam that 80% of unsuspecting consumers fall for when buying it?

This guide will answer all your questions about Blue Mountain coffee.

What is Blue Mountain Coffee?

Simply put: it’s coffee grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, which sit at 7500 ft above sea level are found between Kingston (South) and Port Antonio (North). This is the highest mountain range in the Caribbean and it’s warm and humid; perfect for cultivating Arabica beans.

image	product	details
Out of the Grey Coffee Out of the Grey Coffee	Single Origin Jamaica Blue Mountain	Medium-dark Roast Rich chocolate notes Blue Baron Estate	CLICK TO CHECK PRICE
Volcanica Coffee Volcanica Coffee	Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee	Medium Roast Chocolate, orange peel notes Wallenford Estate	GET 15% OFF (CODE: HG15)
Volcanica Coffee Volcanica Coffee	Jamaica Blue Mountain Blend	Medium Roast Chocolate, orange, lemon notes Various Estates	GET 15% OFF (CODE: HG15)

What makes a Jamaican coffee a true Blue Mountain Coffee? True Blue Mountain coffee must come from the parishes of Portland, St Andrew, St Mary or St Thomas and at altitudes of between three and five and half thousand feet.

Its an Internationally Protected Brand…

The Coffee Industry Regulation Act has preserved Blue Mountain’s identity by giving it a globally protected certification mark, awarded by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica (CIB). Only coffee certified with this mark can be legally sold as ‘Blue mountain’

If it doesn’t have that mark? It’s not the real deal.  We show you how to spot the fakes below.

…But There’s No Protection For Blends

There is no internationally recognized criteria for calling something a Blue Mountain blend. These may contain less than 10% true Jamaican genius so always check the packaging. And Blue Mountain coffee is not ideal in blends anyway. But people blend it with the other Jamaican coffee to lower the price or with something higher in acidity to round out the flavor profile.

Why Is Blue Mountain Coffee So Expensive?

The two main reasons are: limited supply, and the actions required to keep the quality high. Heres a little more context:

• 80% of it is exported to Japan – the remaining 20% is left for the rest of the world.
• Limited growing region – these beans come from a small island and they need to specifically come from one of just a few different locations on the island to be certified JBM beans.
• Time consuming to grow – take roughly ten months to mature; twice as long as typical coffee (1)
• Difficulty in harvesting –  coffee trees are grow in small groups (often on steep mountains), where workers need to take great pains to access them.
• Quality control – every single bean is hand-inspected through a painstaking system that treats their product like gold, weeding out defects and making sure that only the best coffee (most uniform beans) make it into the bags.

With all this in mind, it’s important to keep perspective. These beans are genuinely made with painstaking effort, and buyers should keep this in mind when shopping. These workers deserve their hard-earned wages. They’ve gone above and beyond for that cuppa you’re craving!

What Does Blue Mountain coffee Taste Like?

Jamaicas tropical climate provides the sunshine and water that ideal for coffee plantations. This perfect combination isn’t found in many places in the world, which is what makes Blue Mountain one of the world best tasting coffees.

The smooth, clean taste of Blue Mountain coffee has given it a worldwide reputation for excellence. Along with Hawaii’s Kona beans, it is not uncommon to hear that blue-mountain beans are on a coffee lovers bucket list.

Expect these flavours:

• Mild, polished flavor.
• Smooth but vibrant acidity.
• Clean taste with very little bitterness.
• Aroma: Sweet herbs and florals, with overtones of nuts.

Where To Buy Blue Mountain Coffee

The important thing with Blue Mountain is to make sure that you’re getting the real deal. Although you will find Blue Mountain available on eBay and Amazon, it’s not a route we’d recommend you take when buying your beans.They may not be fresh roasted, and you will have a hard time checking up on the certification.

If your beans come from one of the following plantations, you’ll be in good hands. Although there isn’t much difference in location or growing conditions, each has some subtle differences.

• Wallenford Estate – This estate was bought in 2013 by a philanthropic businessman (2) with the aim to revive the company and continue to product some of the best Blue Mountain gourmet coffee in the world.
• Clifton Mountain Estate – is the oldest plantation still in operation in Jamaica. Sitting at 5000 ft. on the eastern slope of St. Catherine’s Peak, and often considered the Rolls Royce of Coffee.
• Flamstead Estate coffee – is grown at 3,300 ft and provides a coffee with an aroma that is described by reviewers as ‘incredible’.
• Greenwich Estate coffee – is hand-picked, pulped and parchment fermented to give it an incredibly rounded flavor and great mouth-feel.

Interested in visiting these coffee plantations? Here are some Blue Mountain tours you consider.

How to Spot Fake Blue Mountain Coffee

Because of the premium price, dishonest coffee sellers may use the name to sell other products. Even in Jamaica itself, unwitting tourists bring home bags of beans that are not what they say they are (3).

The most common traps are being sold what you think are blue mountain beans, but in reality are just low quality Jamaican beans, or a blend.(4)

That being said, here are a few pointers to help you avoid the scams:

ALWAYS Check The Packaging – Jamaican Blue Mountain is grown, roasted and packaged on the island. If you’re holding a pre-packaged bag of Blue Mountain that says it was packed in Europe or the USA, the chances are it’s not what it says it is.

Avoid most blends – If you buy a blend be aware that there’s no minimum amount of Blue Mountain that has to be included; it could be as low as 10%. Only buy a blend if you’re aware of how much blue mountain is within.

Look For The Seal Of Certification – the coffee industry board stamp is shown on all genuine Blue Mountain beans. It’s a blue circle, inside is an image of a mountain, an island map, a barrel and coffee beans. This is certified by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica (CIB) so you can trust this stamp.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask Questions – anyone who has real Blue Mountain will be proud of that fact. It’s not easy to come by, so there will be a paperwork trail. They shouldn’t be offended if you ask to see some documentation, in fact they’ll probably make you a brew and tell you how this deal came to be.

Best Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee beans (reviews)

Here are a few highly recommended providers of 100% authentic blue mountain coffee beans:

1. Single Origin Jamaica Blue Mountain (Out of the Grey Coffee) – Blue Baron Estate

• Roast: Medium-dark

• Tasting notes: Rich chocolate
• Estate: Blue Baron
• Ground or whole bean: Both

click to check price

The Blue Baron Estate isn’t one of the big names for Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, with a relatively small farm of just 67 acres. But the terrain here is perfect for growing these exclusive beans, situated between rivers at altitudes of 2000 to 3000 feet in the Buff Bay Valley.

The Minott family has been growing coffee here for almost 70 years, planting the trees amongst sections of natural rainforest, and processing the harvest with natural spring water. Along with the characteristic fruitiness, this coffee has a rich chocolate brownie flavor, further developed by the medium-dark roast.

2. Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee (Volcanica) – Wallenford Estate

• Roast: Medium

• Tasting notes: Chocolate, orange peel
• Estate: Wallenford
• Ground or whole bean: Both

GET 15% OFF (CODE: HG15)

Volcanica Coffee has an excellent reputation for sourcing some of the world’s best and most exclusive beans, so you can buy this Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee with complete confidence. 

These beans come from the large Wallenford Estate, which spans 5,000 acres across the Blue Mountain and High Mountain regions. The beans are wash processed for a crisp, clean taste, then sun-dried.

Coffee grown here is known for being brighter and more fruity than other Blue Mountain beans. You can expect a cup with a strong, intense aroma, notes of orange, and some chocolatey sweetness.

3. Jamaica Blue Mountain Blend (Volcanica) – Various Estates

• Roast: Medium

• Tasting notes: Chocolate, orange, lemon
• Estate: Various
• Ground or whole bean: Both

GET 15% OFF (CODE: HG15)

Now, I know what you might be thinking. Didn’t you say NOT to get a blend? Yes, but the one time that a JBM coffee blend is alright to try is when it is honestly and openly labeled as such… and when it’s approved by the Jamaican Coffee Board.

This openly mixed blend is crafted with 30% pure Jamaican Blue Mountains beans, with the remaining 70% made up of a supporting cast of the most elite mountain-grown coffees.

The big winning factor here? They’re nearly half the price of 100% pure Jamaican beans.

How to Brew Blue Mountain Coffee

You should only brew this coffee when the thrush knocks, and the setting sun with the last light of Durin’s Day…no, wait. That’s something else. Brewing a coffee this prestigious does demand your full attention, though. What coffee makers should you use with this bean?

Here are a few general guidelines for brewing amazing blue mountain coffee:

1. Keep your coffee fresh (store it in a vacuum container until you’re ready to use it)
2. Grind it as close to using it as you can, preferably at home.
3. Use an immersion technique to bring out the best of the flavours. Drip,
4. French press or percolator will all do this bean justice (5).
5. Use good filtered water that has been boiled, then cooled for 30-45 seconds.

Why Immersion?

Immersion brewing styles (eg. french press coffee, percolator or moka pot coffee makers) get every scrap of flavor out of your freshly ground coffee. These methods allow the hot (but not boiling) water do its job of penetrating the grind and pulling out all the flavor and the oil that gives coffee its great mouth-feel. You could also experiement with a cold brew.

If you’re a real fan of espresso, then look for Jamaican Peaberry. These are beans that have grown to fill the whole cherry, rather than splitting into two. They make a better choice for espresso brewing.

Roasting your own?

Since it’s so expensive you’ll want to make sure you roast them in confidence; a medium roast is recommended.

Here’s some advice from a man named ‘Fish’ from Thunder coffee, showing the care he pays to roasting for his customers. Some great tips for home roasters within:

Final Thoughts

If you’re still with us, you should know everything about this bean, from its history, to where to buy it, to how to brew it and roast it. At least once in your life, you should treat yourself to the standard that all other Arabicas are held to, and brew yourself a cup of coffee from the Jamaican blue mountain region.

We’ve also covered other major coffee-producing nations in the Americas. Here’s where you can learn about them.

• Honduran Coffee
• Nicaraguan Coffee
• Costa Rican Coffee
• Dominican Republic Coffee
• Guatemalan Coffee
• Mexico Coffee