Three more from Josh

Josh has been sending me apples this year from his orchard in western Washington: one last summer, and six this fall

I've already written about the first three of the six, which included a second bite for me of Tompkins King.

There was also a mystery apple that I think could be the great Ashmead's Kernel. (Others disagree.)

The second trio, below, also includes one apple that Josh knows for sure. It is Kingston Black, a famous cider apple.

I am developing a good deal of respect for the original farmer of this orchard, who had a discriminating taste in apples and must have planted for pleasure rather than commerce.

Or perhaps for cider.

Apple 4 (below) is Kingston Black, sweet, weird, and cottony. I posted my review last week. (Note that many assure me a fresh-off-the-tree sample would not be so soft.)

Apple 5 is an oblate, ribbed green apple with a streaky red blush covering about half. It is dotted with light lenticels in the blushed area, and has a glossy peel.

This one has the look of a McIntosh family member about it. My samples have lots of bruises.

It eats like a Mac too: vinous, with raspberry notes, and snow-white flesh. Indeed the berries are strong, and a little spice, and an appealing sweetness.

It surely isn't a McIntosh and I do not recognize it. Still, No. 5 could be a Mac offspring I've had that just expresses its flavors differently in western Washington. Or it could be something new.

This is very good; I'd probably give it 2 stars if I knew what it was.

Apple 6: I have two of these, one large and the other positively enormous. They are both broad and noticeably ribbed, with a streaky red blush that, over yellow, has an orange cast. Gray-brown lenticel dots are there, just not obvious.

Judging by the bruises, these are a little fragile.

Biting in finds crisp medium-coarse flesh, light yellow, that bears a wonderful flavor of Concord grapes, which grow wild and fragrant in September in my part of the world.

I guess you might call that vinous, though it is not really what apple eaters mean by that word.

The crunch is really excellent, breaking off in satisfying chunks. No. 6 also brings a floral quality and a small bitter note that is its only defect.

I have absolutely no idea what this may be but find it enchanting. The finish is pleasantly astringent.

Whew

Well thank you, Josh, that was both fun and exhausting. Do take the idea of No. 3 as Ashmead's seriously, though it could be a lesser russet (and, here are some contrary views).

Finally, I have another bundle (from Central Massachusetts) to run though the analytical engine.

No rest for the weary, or unpunished good deed, this time of year.