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It’s estimated that over 2.25 billion cups of coffee are drunk around the world every single day. That’s amounts to an incredible industry value of over $20 billion for export alone. That includes the shipping of instant, freeze-dried coffee, high-quality ground coffee and the stuff you’ll find pouring out of your local Starbucks.
The quality varies, as personal tastes do, from pretty dreadful, to exquisite, and while you might think that you’ve hit the big time when you’re sitting around drinking your Nespresso or Lavazza espresso, consider Jamaica Blue Mountain!
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of drinking Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, you’ll understand why we’re asking if it really is the best in the world, almost regardless of personal taste. This smooth, full-bodied coffee tastes as close as it gets to what you always thought coffee should taste like, without the bitterness. Maybe you’ve never tried it, but you’re curious because you’ve heard so much about it, and you’re thinking of buying some.
It’s expensive. We’re going to get into why Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is so expensive, and whether the price is justified by the popular opinion that it is indeed, the world’s best coffee. |
First, though, we thought you might like to learn some astonishing facts about the coffee industry.
10 Amazing Facts About the Coffee Industry
1. The Coffee Industry Is Second Only to Crude Oil
After crude oil, which is used to make just about everything, coffee is the most sought-after commodity in the entire world.
2. 500 Billion Cups a Year
The world drinks on average, 500 billion cups of coffee every year.
Note – The environmental impact of coffee pods can be significant so it is a good idea to consider using reusable coffee pods which you can then fill with your favorite blend (hint, hint – Jamacia coffee…). The team at Coffee Channel have put together a list of the best reusable pods available.
3. Economic Livelihood
The coffee industry provides jobs for over 25 million people worldwide.
4. Arabica and Robusta
There are two main types of coffee beans: Arabica and Robusta. Arabica are considered to be more flavorful and of higher quality. Robusta are hardier, cheaper, usually found in instant coffee.
5. 50% of American Adults Drink Coffee
Over half the American population over 18 drinks coffee on a daily basis.
6. More than Coke
75% of America’s caffeine is consumed as coffee.
7. Hail to the Coffee Shop!
Coffee shops are growing faster than any other restaurant chain.
8. Coffee is a Developing Countries’ Game
Brazil, Vietnam and Colombia are the three biggest producers of coffee in the world.
9. Finland Leads the Way
Per capita, the Finns drink the most coffee, although the US drinks the most overall.
10. Choose Fairtrade
Production of Fairtrade coffee is still relatively small compared to standard coffee, but buying it assures a better deal for growers.
What’s So Special About Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee?
Google ‘Jamaica Blue Mountain’ and before the actual Blue Mountains, you’ll get hits on Blue Mountain Coffee. This exceedingly high-quality coffee can only be grown on the steep slopes of Jamaica’s Blue Mountains, and even then, it is required to go through one of the most rigorous quality assurance and tasting processes of any beverage on the planet.
Even if you’re lucky enough to be a grower of Blue Mountain coffee, it doesn’t guarantee you export. If your batch doesn’t meet the strict standards of the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica, you’re not going anywhere.
This means that if you do manage to track down some genuine, authentic Blue Mountain, you’ll be assured an unforgettable cup of coffee, providing you don’t mess up the brewing.
Why wouldn’t you be able to track it down? Because 80% of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee gets shipped straight to China, presumably for the highest of high-end business meetings.
This silky, seductive coffee really is the real deal, but how does it taste?
Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Tasting Notes
In addition to being remarkably free of any of the bitterness which plagues even the high-end coffees, Blue Mountain is layered with subtle, complex flavors, all wrapped around a lightly sweet, mild base.
Incredibly clean and vibrant, Jamaica Blue has an almost floral taste, with none of the smelly breath mouthfeel of other coffees. Hints of chocolate, herbs and nuts stand out easily, and even the most uneducated of coffee drinkers could notice the difference.
What Makes Blue Mountain Coffee From Jamaica Taste So Good?
There are a couple of reasons why Blue Mountain tastes so good. The first is that it’s grown in very small batches of just a few trees, which are planted and harvested by hand. This gives the trees plenty of space to produce the best possible beans, allowing the flavors to really shine.
The second reason is the location of the trees, between 3,000 and 4,000 feet up the steep sides of the Blue Mountains. The air here is warm, but the almost constant subtropical cloud cover dissipates the heat, meaning the beans on the trees grow more slowly. This gives them time to develop all of that full flavor, without the bitterness.
Why Is Blue Mountain So Expensive?
Some of that relates to the fact that production of Blue Mountain is so small. Anything small-batch is going to cost more than something made on a larger scale. Then there’s the cost of harvest and production. Pickers have to traverse dangerous, often slippery mountain slopes to retrieve the beans, and once that’s done, each batch of beans is inspected by a real person, who removes any defective beans. Then it’s on to the Board, who’ll decide whether the coffee is up to scratch. If it is, then off it goes, and with a luxury product, comes a luxury price.
BEWARE: Some companies will claim that their coffee is Jamaica Blue Mountain, but it could be that what they’re selling is a blend, or a Jamaica Blue Mountain-style coffee. Price is a dead giveaway. Always read the label carefully.
Is Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Worth It?
If you can afford it, and you can get hold of some, then undoubtedly, yes, Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is worth it. Still relatively rare, due entirely to how little of it is made, this is one luxury commodity which definitely exceeds the hype.
To answer the question, ‘Is Blue Mountain Coffee from Jamaica the best in the world?’ Your House Garden say, yes, yes indeed it is.
Oh, and if you are a coffee addict, then you might be curious to know how to get rid of coffee stains on your teeth at home.
Nice, Thanks for sharing
Thanks for posting this informative article. We are proud to have some of the best Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee available as a gift sets this Christmas. These look as good as they taste!