McIntosh

Discovered in 1811 by John McIntosh in Ontario, Canada, as a chance seedling, the McIntosh apple is an iconic heirloom variety. Grown on vigorous, highly winter-hardy, round-headed trees that act as excellent cross-pollinators, it yields medium-sized, round-oblate fruit averaging 65 to 75 millimeters in diameter and 150 to 180 grams in weight. Its thick skin features a smooth, deep crimson-red wash layered over a bright greenish-yellow background. Requiring 900 winter chilling hours, it is a true cold-climate cultivar that thrives optimally in high Himalayan belts between 6,500 and 8,000 feet, where freezing autumn temperatures sharpen its skin finish. Harvested mid-to-late September as starches clear, it delivers a distinctly punchy, highly aromatic, sweet-tart flavor profile with vinous (wine-like) undertones. The ultra-juicy, crisp, bright-white flesh is exceptionally tender, offering a brief shelf life of roughly three to four weeks in standard cold storage before softening.