Blue Mountain Coffee in JA
 

Can someone recommend good places in Jamaica (Kingston, Port Antonio or Mobay) I can pickup some Blue Mountain coffee for reasonable price (supermarkets ok?)? And also if you are aware of any custom restrictions on brining back into US. Thanks.

Twelve ounce foil paks/sometimes wrapped within burlap bags of 'Blue Mountain' coffee are readily available at MoBay and Kingston airports. But you'd do better to search (supermarkets, shops, liquour stores)
for either OLD TAVERN ESTATE or WALLINGFORD ESTATE beans. The former is the finest coffee produced in Jamaica, the latter the runner-up. Unlike 'Blue Mt.' beans, which are a mix of beans produced by various growers, these two
brands are proprietary and beans from
one plantation only. You can also find locally parched (roasted) beans -- less expensive, about US$10 a quart/1.5 lbs -- in many areas (Dawn Moxam in Treasure Beach, for example). No customs restrictions in US as long as the beans are roasted/not raw.

See 'The Bitter and the Sweet:The best coffee in the world is expensive;for one man who grows it, the cost has been too high' in 'GOURMET', July 2003, for a superb story on OLD TAVERN COFFEE ESTATE beans -- available directly from Dorothy and Alex Twyman or, in the U.S., through J.Martinez, New Orleans, a specialty coffee broker.

Hi Tiv,

I am about to panic. My OTE coffee runs out this weekend and I can't seem to find anywhere to buy some more from here in the States!

I got mine while in JA in August and it is almost gone. I am getting very worried. The only place I saw it online to buy - kayaimports.com - I can't get their website to work.

Is there any other way or will I have to "settle" for WE?

Thanks!

DIANA: Try Dorothy directly at
www.exportjamaica.org/oldtavern
or
www.martinezfinecoffees.com

If you've not tried yet, order the
French dark roasted/aged in barrels beans --not always available.

Thank you Tiv. They are both out so I have contacted Dorothy as you suggested.

Might have to go with the Wallenford until I can get the OTE.