I Found it in NYC!... "Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee No. 1"
I was watching Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations episode on Jamaica and he was visiting this coffee plantation in the Blue Mountains. Here I was thinking to myself. Jamaican coffee? I didn't even know Jamaica produced coffee. I thought just weed. I have heard of other famous coffees like Colombian, Kilimanjaro and Kona Coffee. but Jamaican Blue Mountain no. 1? (Now i must have this Bourbon pointu, a legendary coffee variety from the French Island, Réunion)
Blue Mountain, Jamaica
The guy was saying that this coffee is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. 90% of the coffee is exported to of course, Japan. (where it can run around $62 per pound) 10% of it is distributed throughout the world and only 1% makes it to the U.S. Hence the reason why we have never heard of the stuff. Man, 1% that sucks. Considering that the United States is the only country in the world that coffee actually out ranks tea. (b/c of the Boston Tea Party) I thought I would never get to try the stuff. I was walking through Soho the other day and took a menu to check this place out and to my eyes delight I see. "Blue Mountain Coffee no.1!"
Hiroko's Place: 75 Thompson St. Soho, NYC / has Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee no. 1
It doesn't even look like a restaurant inside. Total Japanese style cozy lounge spot. They have kick ass home style cooking with all sorts of nostalgic dishes that I enjoy like Japanese Curry and Fried Rice Omelettes (Omu-Rice). They also have coffees from all over the world including Brazil, Columbia, Kilimanjaro and Kona Coffee so if you are a coffee lover then you have to check this place out. Like I mentioned before, it is the one of the worlds most expensive coffees so do not be surprised about the $9 a mug price.
100% Jamaican Blue Mountain: Jablum Coffee
The Coffee Industry Regulations Act allows for five classifications:
Blue Mountain coffee: Coffee grown in the specially designated area of the Blue Mountains. The coffee has a blue green color, good acidity, intense aroma, fairly good body, clean.
- Blue Mountain No. 1 - 96% of beans must have a screen size of 17/20. No more than 2% of the beans have significant defects.
- Blue Mountain No. 2 - 96% of beans must have a screen size of 16/17. No more than 2% of the beans may have significant defects.
- Blue Mountain No. 3 - 96% of beans must have a screen size of 15/16. No more than 2% of the beans may have significant defects.
- Blue Mountain Peaberry - 96% of beans must be peaberry. No more than 2% of the beans may have significant defects.
- Blue Mountain Triage - Contains bean sizes from all previous classifications. No more than 4% of the beans may have significant defects.
- Blue Mountain Triage Peaberry Coffee - Peaberry coffee beans from the Blue mountains which has minor physical defects but good cup quality. Maximum of 4% defects.
- Special Triage (Triage B ) - Coffee of lower quality than regular triage - more defects and paler beans
- High Mountain Supreme Coffee - Large beans from the Non-Blue Mountain coffee growing beans. Size 17/18 beans maximum of 2% defects and 96% minimum of size 17/18 beans. Blue green appearance, good acidity, good body, clean taste.
If you're going for quality java, coffee from Hawaii is the way to go. It's a tropical treat. Take that Columbia!
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Kona coffee is ok.. but beside Kopi Luwak, Blue Mountain is regarded as one of the best coffee's in the world! Unfortunately it is also one of the most expensive. Both Luwak and Blue Mountain blow Kona out of the water.
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