Mcintosh Apple

McIntosh is not perhaps as widely known as its 19th century contemporaries like Golden Delicious or Red Delicious, but is nevertheless a highly influential apple variety with numerous offspring.

The McIntosh style is typified by attractive dark red or (more often) crimson colours, and a crunchy bite, often with bright white flesh. The flavour is simple and direct, generally sweet but with refreshing acidity, and usually a hint of wine - often referred to as vinous. In general these apples keep reasonably well in store, but the flavour falls away quite rapidly - although remaining perfectly pleasant. Nevertheless to get the full vinous sugar rush it is best straight from the tree.

These characteristics - the crimson colour, white flesh, and vinous flavour (which fades in storage) - are invariably apparent in its numerous offspring, making this one of the easiest apple styles to identify in taste tests.