9 Apple Varieties You Need to Know

Pink-fleshed, it tastes like berries.

Apples of Uncommon Character: Heirlooms, Modern Classics, and Little-Known Wonders

Born in England in 1825 and generally considered the best-tasting apple ever, with citrus and pineapple notes.

It’s small, incredibly crisp, caramel-y and sweet—like a graham cracker with a touch of lemon.

Very sweet and very tart, it carries a powerful one-two punch. It was Thomas Jefferson’s favorite.

Classic example of a russet, with brown, sandpapery skin, it is very firm and has a nutty flavor.

Amazingly firm, with lots of acid, making it perfect for pie.

It looks like a plum—small and purple—and has a unique, spiced-pear flavor. There is a Black Oxford tree in Hallowell, Maine, that is 215 years old.

Ribbed like a quince, it is very firm and very tart and considered the best tarte Tatin apple in Normandy.

Like a pint-size Honeycrisp, it is half the size and twice as sweet.

Apples of Uncommon Character: Heirlooms, Modern Classics, and Little-Known Wonders