Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Arrives Courtesy of France
The secret behind Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee’s exceptional qualities is a matter of breeding. More specifically it is matter of lineage and breeding. All Jamaican Coffees are descendants of a single fragile Arabica Typica plant brought to the island 1723 by order of King Louis XV of France. According to legend, the original plant (one of three) bound for Martinique or Hispaniola landed in Jamaica through a series of fateful events. These events all point to Governor of Jamaica Sir Nicolas Lawes as the individual who delivered this first coffee plant to Jamaica. In his capacity as Governor he tried 'Calico' Jack Rackham the pirate in 1720. The first cultivation began at the foothills of St. Andrew and quickly crept its way deep into the fertile Blue Mountains. While most of the coffee produced in Jamaica through the 18th century was traded throughout the world, it wasn’t until coffee plantations were established in the Blue Mountain range that things take a turn for the extraordinary.
High Altitude Origins of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee
The three great secrets to virtually all of the world’s great coffees a combination of altitude, volcanic soil and austere care for the beans. The Jamaican Blue Mountains are a majestic range of mountains forming the virtual backbone of Jamaica rising over 7,000 feet above sea level. The densely wooded north slopes are maintained as forest reserves. This region is the center of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee cultivation. Annual rainfall is a mere 200 inches and average temperature hovers near 5 °C, due to a dense cloud cover. These environmental factors slow down the maturation rate of the of the coffee fruit to about 10 months from bloom to harvest, as compared to five or six elsewhere. This produces a larger more complex bean, with a concentration flavor.
Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee’s Volcanic Roots
The Jamaica Blue Mountains are like all mountains in the Caribbean the above water peaks of ancient extinct Volcanoes. Through centuries of soil production, the nutrients deposited on the surface of these volcanoes are essentially a botanical super food. Centuries of biomass accumulation formed through the decomposition of various plant species has produced a top soil of exceptional quality. This fact is true all across the near equatorial Arabica producing countries. In Jamaica, the heirloom quality of these 18th century Arabica plants, combine with the environment to produce a truly unusual coffee but that is no guarantee of a fine cup.
Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee’s Quality is no accident
The final portion of the equation is a combination of botanical husbandry and meticulous processing of the beans from pulping to roast to your cup. In 1953 the Jamaica government passes the first of many laws establishing the boundaries of exceptional quality. It

DAUPHIN KAFFEE is the apex of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee
Dauphin Kaffee begins our process of selecting your next cup of coffee though meticulous evaluation of the every specialty lot that arrives at market. Through these initial cuppings we identify the very best farms proving the apex of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffees. Finalists for purchase are then delivered to each of our seven member Cupping board for blind evaluation of each lot. Our board members are cupping with one goal in mind, “identify the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee that is exceptionally full-bodied, flavorful, and aromatic.” The board’s reviews are tallied for a finalist lot. Samples of that coffee is delivered to our roast master with a request to prepare a test batch roasted to our secret roast profile for evaluation by the three founding partners. Again the coffee is cupped but not in the traditional sense. This Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is simply brewed in a French press, tasted then discussed by our partners. Once agreement is reached the purchase of the lot is secured and the sourcing process starts anew in ten months.
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is world renowned for delivering a very well balanced cup, with medium acidity, excellent body and a smooth chocolate finish. Well balanced, full-bodied with subtle acidity is the age old description that every coffee aspires to reach. So as you have read, though Blue Mountain Coffee is Arabica Typica, it is anything but typical.
Warm Regards,
Jerry Delince
Managing partner
Jamaica Blue Mountain Traders, LLC.
www.jamaicabluemountaincoffee.com