On the 6th of August it was Jamaica's national days, so it only just passed we focused this week's blog on the famous Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee.

It is one of the most sought-after coffees in the world. It has floral, light taste with a lack of bitterness which makes it unique. A common technique for the farmers is to grow the coffee trees before planting them, which makes the process much longer and thus, the quantity of coffee produced by Jamaica is not as high as other countries who offer us this great commodity. The growers focus on the maximum quality over quantity, and have to adjust to the high demand of this luxurious coffee.

The Blue Mountains are generally located between Kingston to the south and Port Antonio to the north. Rising to 2,256 metres (7,402 ft), they are some of the highest mountains in the Caribbean. The climate of the region is cool and misty with high rainfall. The soil is rich, with excellent drainage. This combination of climate and soil is considered ideal for coffee.

Grown on the gentle slopes of the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, it accounts for only 0.1% of coffee produced by Jamaica, and this is what makes it special and causes the price to be higher than many others.  

If you have not tried it yet, it is most definitely worth a shot. If you want to assimilate a taste before purchasing, the fun fact is that the Jamaican Blue Mountain beans are the flavour base of Tia Maria.