by CHRIS SWIFT
THE MAN BEHIND THE TUX
James Bond, the most famous spy that never existed, was created by Ian Fleming in 1952 while living in Jamaica. He was 43. Much of Bond's proclivities seem to come directly from the writer's own life, such as a fondness for scrambled eggs, fine cars and exotic travel. One pleasure Fleming placed in a couple of his books was the love of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee.
Spending two months out of every year living in Jamaica, Mr. Fleming would write his stories and partake in the local brew named for its growing region in the Blue Mountains. According to New York Times writer, David Allan;
When Fleming made his first visit to the island 65 years to the month when I was there, he chose to stay in the cooler climes of the Blue Mountains. (NY TIMES)
It was there Fleming feel in love with the coffee, then providing Mr. Bond with the same admiration of the finely cultivated coffee in Live And Let Die. And according to The James Bond Dossier;
After arriving in Jamaica on the tail of Mr Big, he drinks Blue Mountain coffee, which Fleming pronounces “the most delicious in the world”
Most of us know our favorite British Special Agent as a man with impeccable taste, and style fueled by adrenaline and martinis. Turns out the real international man of mystery was actually a java junky of the highest caliber and needed his Jamaica Blue to bring down the bad guys.
What if Ian Fleming had never visited Jamaica, falling head over hills in love its beauty, and discovering this wonderful coffee? We may have never been giving James Bond or Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee. Well, thankfully that is not a world we live in.
Cheers Mr. Fleming, and thank you for introducing to the world two wonderfully perfect distractions that satisfy our desires for perfection.