About This Coffee
Clydesdale Estate was founded in the late 1700s by Dr. Colin McClarty, a British national who established one of the first commercial coffee estates in Jamaica. Following Dr. McClarty’s lead, other farmers ventured into coffee production, helping to make the Clydesdale region one of the most important and renowned coffee-growing areas in the country.
Today, the Clydesdale Estate factory, drying patios, and water wheel have been designated as a National Heritage site by the Government of Jamaica. Farmers in the Clydesdale coffee region continue to produce outstanding quality coffee, celebrating the traditional practices that have earned this coffee its global reputation.
Cultivation
Located at the heart of the Blue Mountain region in the parish of St. Andrew, Clydesdale is a renowned coffee-growing area in Jamaica. Farmers cultivate the Typica variety at an altitude of approximately 1,100 meters above sea level.
In 1953, the Jamaican government established the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica (CIB) to protect the quality of Jamaican coffee. All coffee exported from Jamaica is shipped by the CIB, which ensures rigorous quality control to guarantee that all exported coffee is 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain.
This relentless pursuit of excellence has made Jamaica Blue Mountain one of the most well-known coffees in the world.
Harvest & Post-Harvest
Cherry is selectively harvested along the steep slopes where it grows. Most of the harvest is done by locals hired for their decades of experience cultivating and harvest coffee in the region.
Once picked, cherry is brought to the wet mill where it is pulped and fermented. Following fermentation, cherry is washed and laid on patios to sundry. Staff rake parchment frequently to ensure even drying.
Once dry, parchment is selectively hand sorted to ensure that each lot is consistently high quality. Then, parchment is packed in the iconic wooden barrels (lined with GrainPro bags).
About Blue Mountain
The eponymous Blue Mountain region in Jamaica is well known as an excellent growing region for coffee. In addition to high altitudes, the region is cooler with abundant rainfall, mists and nutrient-rich soil.
The mountainous conditions that help produce such high-quality coffee also make it more difficult and expensive to harvest. The cooler, wetter weather also makes drying more difficult, highlighting the importance of strong processing practices and careful sorting & drying.
About Typica
Typica has widely been used to develop new varieties, making it extremely genetically important. Typica is characterized by tall plants, high cup potential and large beans. It is quite susceptible to disease, so most Typica crosses involve Timor or another disease-resistant variety. Quality-wise Typica is valued for its excellent cup quality, especially at higher altitudes. It was widespread across much of Central and South America, including Guatemala and Mexico, but most of the “old vine” Typica was destroyed during the Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) pandemic.
Source: https://perfectdailygrind.com/2020/04/the-typica-coffee-variety-what-is-it-why-is-it-so-important/ & https://varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org/info/coffee/about-varieties/bourbon-and-typica & https://varieties.worldcoffeeresearch.org/varieties/typica