Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee: what is real and what is a blend

When buyers search for jamaica blue mountain coffee they often wonder whether the bag holds the real origin or a diluted blend. Real Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee is coffee grown inside a legally defined area of Jamaica's Blue Mountains, in the parishes of Saint Andrew, Saint Thomas, Portland and Saint Mary, at roughly 3,000 to 5,500 feet. A "Jamaica Blue Mountain Blend" is a different product: under Jamaica's 2018 regulations it only has to contain at least 30% Blue Mountain coffee by weight. So if the bag says "blend", most of what is inside may come from somewhere else.

What makes jamaica blue mountain coffee genuine

Blue Mountain is not a style, a roast or a bean variety. It is a place name with legal weight behind it.

• The area is drawn on a map. Jamaica's coffee rules define a "Blue Mountain area of Jamaica" and say that Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is coffee grown there. The regulations trace the boundary from village to village around the range.
• Height and parish matter. WIPO's case study on the brand sums up the rule: only coffee grown between 3,000 and 5,500 feet in four eastern parishes (Saint Andrew, Saint Thomas, Portland and Saint Mary) can use the name.
• It is a protected mark abroad. The name is registered as a certification mark in the United States and protected as a trademark in the European Union and the United Kingdom, according to WIPO.

That legal protection is the whole point. Anyone can grow coffee on a mountain, but only coffee from this one zone can be sold as Jamaica Blue Mountain.

How it is grown and processed

WIPO describes a slow, hands-on process. The cool climate in the mountains means the cherries take longer to ripen. After picking, the fruit is pulped, and the wet beans go to a government-authorised processing facility within 24 hours. There they are sun-dried and then rested ("cured") for at least eight weeks before hulling, polishing and hand sorting.

None of this guarantees that you will love the cup, but it explains why the supply is small and tightly watched.

The three Jamaican grades you might see

Jamaica sells more than one kind of coffee, and the names are easy to mix up. WIPO lists three types handled by the island's regulator:

• Jamaica Blue Mountain, from the defined Blue Mountain area.
• Jamaica High Mountain Supreme, which the 2018 regulations define as the premium grades of Jamaican coffee grown outside the Blue Mountain area.
• Jamaica Prime.

If a bag says "High Mountain" rather than "Blue Mountain", it is Jamaican coffee, but it is not from the Blue Mountain zone.

What a "Blue Mountain blend" actually contains

This is where most confusion starts. Jamaica's 2018 regulations define a "Jamaica Blue Mountain Blend Coffee" as any coffee or coffee product in which Blue Mountain coffee makes up not less than 30% of the weight.

Put simply:

• A bag labelled Jamaica Blue Mountain should be Blue Mountain coffee.
• A bag labelled Jamaica Blue Mountain Blend needs at least 30% Blue Mountain coffee. The regulation's definition sets only that minimum share. It does not say where the rest of the coffee comes from.

There is a matching rule for High Mountain Supreme blends: at least 30% High Mountain Supreme coffee by weight.

Why the blend percentage is argued about

The 30% figure was not always a given. In 2016 the Jamaica Gleaner reported that the Bureau of Standards Jamaica had drafted a retail standard proposing a minimum of 20%, with 30% under consideration. Some people in the trade wanted more. Wallenford Coffee Company's chief executive argued that a product sold as a Blue Mountain blend should contain at least 51%, and said his company had stopped selling blends altogether. The head of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association told the paper that Jamaica and its trading partners rely heavily on blends.

The rule that ended up in the 2018 regulations was 30%. If you want to know the exact share in a particular blend, the label or the roaster is the only place to find out.

How to tell what you are buying

You do not need to be an expert to read a Blue Mountain label. Check these points:

• Look for the word "blend". It is the single biggest clue. If it is there, assume the Blue Mountain share could be as low as the legal minimum unless the roaster states a higher figure.
• Look for a stated percentage. Some sellers print the share of Blue Mountain beans. A clear number is better than a vague phrase like "with Blue Mountain".
• Check the place name. "Blue Mountain style", "Jamaican-style" or "High Mountain" are not the same thing as Jamaica Blue Mountain.
• Look for certification. WIPO notes that a certificate of authenticity accompanies genuine Jamaican coffee and that the regulator's logo is only allowed on coffee that has passed its quality checks. A retailer selling the real thing should be able to tell you about it.
• Ask the seller. A good roaster will tell you the estate or exporter, and whether the bag is 100% Blue Mountain.

Who should buy jamaica blue mountain coffee

Pure Jamaica Blue Mountain suits drinkers who want a clean, mild cup with bright acidity and low bitterness. It works well as a filter coffee or light espresso. Blends suit people who want a cheaper everyday cup that still carries a hint of the origin. If your budget is under $25 per 12 oz, a blend is usually the practical choice.

Tradeoffs between pure and blended bags

Pure bags cost more because supply is limited and every step is regulated. You get full traceability and the exact flavour profile of the region. Blends lower the price but dilute the taste; the non-Blue Mountain portion often comes from lower-altitude Jamaican farms or other countries. Taste both side by side if possible before committing to a subscription.

Is a blend a bad buy?

Not necessarily. A blend is a perfectly honest product when it is labelled clearly. It simply is not the same coffee as a bag of straight Blue Mountain beans, and it should not be judged as if it were.

A simple way to choose:

• If you want to taste the origin itself, look for single-origin Jamaican coffee that says Jamaica Blue Mountain without the word "blend". Browse our Jamaica origin page and single-origin coffees.
• If you want an everyday cup with a touch of Jamaican coffee, a clearly labelled blend can fit. Our blends page lets you compare them.
• If you just want to see everything carrying the name, try a search for Blue Mountain.

A note on the regulator

Older articles, including WIPO's case study, refer to the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica. The 2016 Gleaner report said the board was to be merged with other commodity boards into a new regulator. The 2018 rules quoted above were made under the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority Act, so you may see either name on older labels and articles.

Sources

• WIPO: In Search of a Perfect Cup
• Government of Jamaica via FAOLEX: The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority Regulations, 2018
• Jamaica Gleaner: Bureau of Standards Jamaica to standardise coffee for retail trade