Ok, so you have heard or maybe even tasted Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee? First, I will state some facts about this very expensive sought after coffee then I will share my opinions with you.
Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is a classification of coffee grown in the blue mountains of Jamaica. The top quality lots are noted for their mild flavor and lack of bitterness. Over the last several decades the reputation has made this coffee one of the most expensive, sought after coffees in the world! One reason is merely supply and demand because Japan reserves and buys 80% of all Jamaican Blue Mountain every year. These are also the coffee beans that create the flavor base for Tia Maria Coffee Liquor.
So, because there is less than 20% of Jamaican Blue Mountain left to sell to the rest of the world, the prices are super high! $28.00 to $40.00+ for a pound of this coffee. I am always willing to pay more to get more but not in this case! Why you ask? Because the coffee is not worth that price in my opinion.
Here’s why…The Jamaican Blue Mountain is an Arabica bean grown in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica, but this same exact coffee bean is also grown in Kenya, Hawaii, and in Papua New Guinea (where a unique mutation of typica is know as Papua New Guinea Gold).
Papua New Guinea’s coffee production dates back to 1926/1927 when the first Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee seeds were planted. So..guess what you really have if you bought Papua New Guinea Gold? Yup! You have Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee for 1/2 to 1/4 of the price!
I have been roasting Papua New Guinea for over 6 years and have challenged a few of my coffee connoisseur snob friends who paid that crazy inflated price just for the name to take a blind taste test. To their surprise they could not tell the difference or correctly identify the Jamaican Blue Mountain over the Papua New Guinea Gold! So..do yourself a favor and drink Papua New Guinea Gold! You are really enjoying Jamaican Blue Mountain for 1/2 the price!
I look forward to hearing from you! Be well and remember, Life is too short to drink bad coffee.
