Steven Cooke, director of the Greenwich Mountain Estate Ltd, breathing in the aroma of the typical variety of coffee beans, his family-owned business produces.

Around the globe the Blue Mountain brand of coffee has brought pride to Jamaica. Now, added to the geographical region's list of beans, is the newly introduced Greenwich Blue.

According to the Grahams of Palace amusement fame, the hand-picked beans, grown and packaged exclusively by Greenwich Mountain Estate Limited, are unlike any other Blue Mountain crop of coffee as its size, # 19 on the classifier (used to sort the beans' size) is unique.

Steven Cooke, one of three directors, which includes mother, Melanie Graham and father, Douglas Graham, who operate the family-owned company said the beans come from seedlings grown from carefully chosen parent trees.

Duwayne Smalling, an employee of the business prepares the crop for sunning. (Photos: Michael Gordon)

"Greenwich Blue is a bean size that is very rare and it has all the characteristics of the exportable grade but bigger. It's attractive, sexy and not a giant. Number 19 is the best of the best," said Cooke at their South Camp Road factory.

Cooke feels that anyone who consider themselves a coffee connoisseur would undoubtedly give the thumps up to Greenwich Blue, the flagship product of the estate.

But, this special breed of crop didn't start out with the perfect sized bean and its special characteristics.

It was by pure chance that this business developed the way it is now, although the family sold coffee beans to the Coffee Board, they didn't think of marketing their own produce, says Douglas Graham.

He acquired the cottage in Greenwich, Blue Mountain, over two decades ago. And it has, until now, remained an exclusive family treasure.

"We've been growing coffee for the 23 years and selling it to the Coffee Board and would export our coffee through them while retaining some for the local market. It started out as a hobby. It wasn't until a fire destroyed our initial crop and I had to replant that I got infected...and I still can't stop. I discovered then, there were great economical and social gains by going into value-added by processing our own," he declared.

He added that in the process they learned how to grow good coffee.

"We have certainly taken our time and studied coffee processing as we studied coffee growing and now we are confident that we're putting down a superior product," he told SunDay, acknowledging a comeback that saw the farm grow from five to 109 acres.

"Today we have the highest per acre yield in Jamaica," he says.

Not bad an accomplishment, considering they've weathered two major hurricanes -- Allen and Gilbert -- and are still forging ahead to produce a world-class product of premier quality.

With expert care and supervision at every stage -- from pulping to grading -- each process is meticulously observed to ensure the same taste each time it reaches consumers' households.

Said Graham: "We harvest our coffee everyday, Monday to Friday and at the end of each day, that freshly picked coffee is pulped. It is drained overnight and the next morning the sunning starts, weather permitting. If not, it goes to the mechanical dryer.

They then try to assimilate the environment of the peak by placing the coffee, after four to five days after harvest, in an air-conditioned storage at 12-per cent moisture.

"We guard against temperature and humidity fluctuations and we keep the beans in storage with as little light as possible. It is with such painstaking attention to detail that the true body, flavour and aroma can be enhanced," he explains.

"Blue Mountain coffee is not just pedigree, it is also required to have a cup quality -- a flavour profile. It is the only coffee with an aftertaste, a very distinct one," assures Graham.

Every export shipment is "cup quality" tested by certified tasters on the Coffee Industry staff. And on the continuity of the product.

"Blue Mountain has that micro climate and it's a God-given resource. We must be careful we don't destroy it," Graham concludes.

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