Hermann Mac

The name "Hermann Mac" suggests the apple is is a sport of McIntosh. If so, it is one that ripens later than the original version.

This sample, from a home orchard, has superficial defects including sooty blotch and flyspeck. These are two wonderfully descriptive names for different fungi that live on the peel and do not affect eating quality.

Sooty blotch, as it happens, cleans up pretty well (not so flyspeck) with water and a dishrag or paper towel plus some rubbing.

before

after

The "after" photo lets the Mac-ish features show through a bit better: chiefly the red blush. Note also the classical shape.

Nonetheless, in this busy visual environment one must hunt for the tiny light lenticel dots. The peel has a satiny gloss.

Hermann Mac is more ribbed than most McIntosh I have seen, and the blush is more saturated, but is still in the zone where there is normal variation.

This apple has a wonderful McIntosh–sweet cider aroma.

So eat already

Hermann has medium-fine snowy white flesh. Mine is tender, though still sound, and well balanced. 

It bears the standard Mac vinous flavors but also toasted coconut, though that may be a flavor that only emerges after the fruit has been off the tree for a while.

The crunch is not great, but may be better earlier in the season: mine was picked in September, eaten around Thanksgiving. As it is, the peel outlasts the flesh and makes for a chewy ending.

Give all this uncertainty about timing and quality, I am tempted not to post this at all. But it will have to do until I eat some that are fresher.