Apple Flavours and Tastings, 2018

Most apples available in the supermarkets are descended from the same few parents, and they taste rather similar. The range of apples available is wider than it was a few years ago, but the choice is still limited.

Over the past 20 years I have collected unusual apples from many areas and I am putting information online about some of them, as judged in our apple tastings.

I hope this encourages interest in some of the more 'out-of-the-way' flavours; perhaps a few of you will be encouraged to grow some of these apples.

After a few words about each variety, we allocate a numerical score to the apple. This is very subjective; it varies depending on the ripeness, the season, the position of the apple on the tree and on other things.

Perception of flavour varies widely between individuals. What appeals to one person may not be attractive to another. However, the scores should give a rough idea of what to expect of the varieties covered.

What the numbers mean:

5=top-quality
4=very good
3=neither like nor dislike
2=mildly unpleasant
1=unpleasant

For quick reference I have listed the scores below. There are usually two tasters; I give the indivdual scores (N, then J, then the total).

VARIETIES: Tasting 5, 26 Sep
Chapmans 3,3,6
Malus Geneva 3½,3½,7
Baya Marisa 3,2,5
West Virginia Sweet 4½,3,7½
Breunsdorfer 3½,3,6½
Darcy Spice 4,2,6
Wibtoft Pippin 4,2,6

VARIETIES: Tasting 4, 20 Sep
Sops in Wine, red wood variant: 4,4,8
Rote Alatau 4½,4,8½
Roter Mond 3½,3,6½
Royal Russet 5,5,10
Breunsdorfer 3,3,6
Belvoir Seedling 3,2½,5½
Leicester Burton Pippin 4,4,8
Bismarck 4½,4,8½
St. Ailred 5,4,9
Redlove Sirena 4,3½,7½
Redlove Circe 4½, 4, 8½

VARIETIES: Tasting 3, 1 Sep
Pendragon 2½,2,4½
Prince Charles 5,5,10
Roter Dries 3½,3,6½
Queen Caroline 2½,2,4½
Mott's Pink 4½,3½,8
Stoney Stanton apple 4,3,7
Langton Nonesuch 4,3½,7½
Langton Nonesuch (Max variant) 5,5,10

VARIETIES: Tasting 2, 23 Aug
Devonshire Quarrenden 4½,4,8½
Laxton's Fortune 4½,5,9½
Langton Nonesuch 4,2½,6½
Sops in Wine 4,4,8
Rosette 4,4½,8½
George's Red 3,1,4
Dubbleman 4,3,7
Almata 3½,1,4½ slightly under-ripe
Alatau 3,1,4 slightly under-ripe
Hall's Pink 4½,4,6½
LF Seedling 4,4,8
Aporto 4,3,7

VARIETIES: Tasting 1, 16 Aug
Sweetings 3½,3,6½
Discovery 4,4,8
Rosette 3,2,5 (not swelled properly yet - drought)
Scarlet Surprise 4,2,6
Hall's Pink 4,4,8
Norfolk Rattlebox 2,4,6
Schneewitschen 3,2,5

All of these tastings are filmed and online. Search for "Growing with Julie", Apple Tastings 2018.




ND / habitat21.

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