Coffee produced in the Jamaican Blue Mountains has a protected designation of origin (PDO) because of the renowned reputation of Blue Mountain coffee. Coffee here tends to be intercropped with banana, Inga, mango and many other shade trees. Clifton Mount, a 180-acre estate, first started production in the mid 18th century. It is one of the oldest functioning coffee estates in Jamaica. Owned by the Sharp family since 1977, Clifton Mount Estate is fully integrated with all aspects of processing handled internally. Quality is expertly controlled at every step of the way. Clifton Mount Estate Jamaica Blue Mountain is the only Rain Forest Alliance Certified coffee from Jamaica. The farm is aligned to an eco- and bird-friendly philosophy and takes pride in excellent community and labor relations, as well as favoring processing equipment that specifically minimizes water use in pulping and washing. The farm uses a water recycling system and vermiculture for pulp decomposition and the development of compost. Clifton Mount’s dry mill is located in downtown Kingston, Jamaica’s capital city. In their particular sector of the city the mill is the largest employer present, providing jobs to over 600 women, most of them single parents, who do the hand-sorting of our coffee. This, according to Clifton Mount, has had a tremendous impact in the lives of these communities.
