I was thrilled to have the opportunity to visit the heirloom apple orchards of Seed Savers Exchange this fall. Their orchards hold hundreds of heirloom apple varieties, many I had not heard of until my visit. There is limited information about historic apples online. Even my beloved seven-volume apple encyclopedia contains limited details on many. This post will detail my tasting notes and impressions of the apple varieties I collected from Seed Savers.
It is notable that I only had one apple of most varieties to try. Thus, my descriptions may or may not be a good overall description of each variety. My hope here is to inspire others to try, and possibly grow, their own historic heirloom apple varieties. Without further ado, here are the heirloom apples of Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, IA.
Akin
The Akin had a firm but crunch texture. The flavor was not overly tart or sweet, but was a bit more on the tart side. It had moderate apple flavor. Akin would likely be a great salad apple, as it was slow to oxidize. I wouldn’t call it exciting, but it was overall a good apple.
Baldwin
The Baldwin had a crunchy, hard texture and a balanced, sweet/tart flavor. It wasn’t exciting, but was good, in a somewhat familiar way. I’d recommend it for fresh eating.
Bethel
Bethel’s texture was a bit soft, but it may have been past its prime. It had a mild, mostly sweet flavor with some floral and raspberry notes. Perhaps it would make a good sauce apple.
Black Gilliflower
This was the one apple I correctly identified at the Seed Savers orchard. I’d read these apples can be mushy, but mine had a pleasing, crisp texture. The flavor was distinct and unique, perhaps a little spicy, sweet with a tiny bit of tartness. I liked this apple a lot.
Buff
Buff had a quite crisp, yellowish-white flesh. The taste was tart, like a red Granny Smith. Some bites had a small aftertaste of sweetness. Mr. Grumpy Pants and I both thought the texture was great, and wish we had another Buff apple to try with some caramel dip.
Chusan
The Chusan apple initially had a crunchy bite, with a texture that managed to turn mealy in the mouth. Its flavor was quite tart, but with some sweetness and a hint of parsley. I’d describe the taste as interesting, although perhaps not interesting enough to want to grow on my acreage.
Cole’s Quince
Cole’s Quince had a very crisp texture. The flavor was intense and bold, with a sour/astringent bite. I’d describe its flavor as a complex mixture of pineapple, lemon, and wheatgrass flavors. Very interesting.
Court Pendu Plat
This apple felt soft when I picked it up, but its texture was harder than expected. The flavor was tart and complex, with some sweet and spicy and citrusy notes. It was really good, actually, and I’m considering adding one to my orchard.
Cow
I wanted to like this apple because of its name. The skin was tough and the texture was moderately firm. However, the flavor was strange, like lemony, acidic potato. Somehow this flavor wasn’t terrible, but it also wasn’t good. Perhaps one of the weirdest apples I’ve ever tasted.
Domine
Domine was the first heirloom apple that Mr. Grumpy Pants and I tried after leaving Seed Savers. He thought it had a strange smell (like play dough). The skin itself tasted bland, but not bitter, while the flesh was flavorful and tasted somewhat pear-like. The apple was a good balance of sweet and tart, with a crunchy and firm texture. We both rated it as good for fresh eating.
Green Pippin
This green-yellow apple had a few bright red spots. The skin was strangely tasty and flavorful. The texture was crunchy and pleasing for fresh eating. The flesh was sweet with a delicious, complex tropical flavor with a slight tart note. This apple was easily in my top five from the tasting.
Kerr Crab
The Kerr crabapple was a small, attractive apple with deep red to purple skin. It’s cute enough that I would buy it, if I saw it at a farmer’s market. Mr. Grumpy Pants and I ate several of these at the orchard due to their unique tart floral flavor. The texture was crisp and pleasing for fresh eating. These would likely make great jam as well.
Malinda
Malinda had a firm texture. The flavor was mild, but a bit complex, both sweet and tart. It oxidized quickly. I wouldn’t describe it as having a “wow” factor, but overall it was pretty good. It might bake or dry well.
Mann (Delitz)
I was quite interested in trying the Mann apple, as I grafted one last year for my orchard. The one I ate at Seed Savers Exchange was disappointing, as it was hard and minimally flavorful. I took one home and ate it about a month after picking. This Mann apple still had a very firm texture, but the flavor had improved. I’d describe it as vinous, sweet with some acidic balance. This second tasting convinced me to keep the graft, at least for now.
Old Fashioned Limbertwig
This firm apple was somewhat perplexing to my taste buds. I wouldn’t describe it as overly sweet or tart. Its flavor was somewhat smoky, and maybe with notes of a musty old room. It didn’t taste much like a typical apple. A colleague told me that she found it “weird in a pleasant way.”
Paddley’s Pippin
Paddley’s Pippin had a firm and crunchy texture. The apple itself was cute- small size with russeted skin. The flavor was somewhat vinous, a balanced sweet and tart. I would describe it as good for fresh eating.
Penny Gold
I had high hopes for this apple, due to its lovely appearance. The texture was firm and crispy. Flavor wise, it had an interesting paper-towel-like taste that faded into a tart apple flavor. It good sweetness under the blushed parts. It was pleasant overall, but not amazing.
Ramsdell Sweet
With my first bite, I was a bit putt off by the soft, somewhat mushy texture. However, I soon noticed a strong vanilla flavor, like the apple had already been caramelized. The flavor was sweet with no tartness. After a few bites, I decided I loved the flavor. Perhaps, with its texture, the Ramsdell Sweet would make a delicious apple sauce.
Reinette des Carnes
This apple had a firm, but not overly crunchy, texture; perhaps I’d describe it as almost dry or even leathery. The flavor was sweet with a spiced aftertaste, perhaps of banana bread.
Salome
Salome had shiny red skin that you might find on a typical grocery store apple. The flesh was crisp but dense. The flavor was tart but some good sweet after tones. I’d describe this apple as good, but not complex.
Tailafero
Was this the famed Jefferson cider apple? After reading that it was possibly extinct, it was an exciting find, either way. The small Tailafero had a mild pleasant fruty aroma and felt like a small friend. The texture was pleasantly crispy. The apple had some complexity with a slight floral essence. It would likely make great cider, but might also taste great with caramel.
Tomato
This apple had two bumps that made it look like a horned toad. The texture was crisp and hard and a bit grainy. The flavor was pleasantly sweet, but not overly so. It made for decent fresh eating.
Windfall Golden
The Windfall Golden was exceptionally sweet and crisp. The flavor was complex- tropical with banana notes, and somewhat creamy, like candy or sorbet. High flavor. The Windfall Golden was superb fresh eating and was my favorite apple of the bunch. I’ll be grafting several of these for my orchard in the spring.
Have you tried any of the apples above? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Want to learn more about the apples that Grumpy Pants Plants is growing? Click here to follow our heirloom apple orchard efforts.
