The island of Jamaica is word famous for many things, reggae music, sandy beaches, Bob Marley and coffee. The high esteem for Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee among avid coffee drinkers has sent its price up to between $46 and $60 per pound. What is it about this particular brew that warrants such a high price tag?

Yes – the name is a dead giveaway – Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee is grown in the Blue Mountain area of Jamaica, generally located between Port Maria in the north and Kingston to the south. Rising to 7,500 feet, the Blue Mountains are the highest part of the Caribbean. The area is characterized by cool, wet weather and dark, rich earth with good drainage, perfect conditions for producing coffee. Though coffee is not native to Jamaica, it’s the island’s main export.

Not just any old brand of Joe can call itself Jamaican Blue Mountain. The Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica certifies every bag of coffee to ensure that only beans of the highest quality bear the prestigious trademark. The Board only recognizes beans grown in particular parishes of Jamaica: St Mary, St Andrew, St Thomas and Portland.

The geographical area that cultivates Jamaican blue mountain coffee is relatively restricted and can only manufacture a certain amount of coffee. The limited availability, the matchless quality resulting from pains taking growing methods, the seductive aroma and the world famous name of Jamaican Blue Mountain have undoubtedly contributed to its fame as one of the most sought-after coffees in the world – more so than sumatra coffee, or French roast coffee, for example. So long as hard-core coffee lovers continue to demand it, it will be also one of the more costly.