McIntosh Apple Review
"A Seal-Skinned Canadian Letdown"
The National Apple of Canada, this dense curling stone has the refreshing tart kick of an icy northern winter. Unfortunately, it comes dressed for the cold, with a caribou-skin Inuit parka snuggly protecting the interior of its grainy snow-white flesh. Beware – this tumour-swollen reindeer nose has perhaps the thickest most intractable skin of any apple this side of the Prime Meridian. In fact, in an emergency, the McIntosh apple could be hollowed out and used as a makeshift shelter appropriate for the harshest of arctic storms.
The McIntosh gets a massive branding boost by being the eponymous apple of Macintosh computers. For fans of Apple, this is an egregious misnomer, denigrating a quality product. For Apple haters, the McIntosh apple is a suitable analog for a sub-par computer that fails to impress.
- FLAVOR PROFILE -
SWEETNESS
2/5
TARTNESS
3/5
INTENSITY
3/5
MCINTOSH APPLE BIO
PARENTAGE
Unknown
ORIGIN
Ontario, Canada
YEAR
Early 19th Century
AVAILABILITY
Late Fall – Spring
BEST USES
Applesauce
OTHER NAMES
McIntosh Red, Mac
someone has never had one in seasons. delicious. your review is horse food.
SO TRUE fresh ripe Macintosh apples are so good. Also hot take but the tartness, tough skin and the texture of the flesh combined is really good actually
McIntosh have that wonderful aroma and sweet taste when ripe and after being stored for a while, Yes they have lost their “crunch” by then, but if I wanted “crunch” I would eat celery sticks. I have been greatly disapointed by all other apples I have eaten. I wonder why I even bother.
Just imagine cancel culture for apples. This weekend, Macs are 79 cents a pound and they are very available and tasty too. I love them and so do my horses. And that’s not marketing you are ranking but history, tradition, nostalgia. There’s a big flavour. The skin is good for you.
What about Northern Spys?
I haven’t had the opportunity to try a Northern Spy but based on name alone I have been very hopeful to get my hands on one.
There’s a reason its listed as “horse food” on the main page of this site.
The local McIntosh apples are so so so good, especially right off the trees during a cold autumn day
The skin is very good too, I’m wondering what kind of McIntosh apples you’ve been eating….
I don’t know what the fuck kind of McIntoshes you are eating. Pick one off a tree and take a bite. Sweet and delicious. If you have trouble biting through the skin you need to see a dentist.
I am a dentist
When I was a kid in Manitoba in the 90s my parents bought mostly Spartan apples, which are apparently a cross between McIntosh and an unknown parent. Did anyone else eat these? Were they as bitter and grainy as I remember? The texture was absolutely wretched.
I actually really like the graininess of macintosh apples. Any recommendations for apples with a similar mouth feel?
If you like a grainier apple – people swear by the Cortland. I don’t stand by it, but it might just be your new favorite.
I once had an Acey Mac. My favorite store bought apple of all time. Never seen it again.
Macs are great fresh, as are Cortland. Neither stands up when shipped though.
I would love to get my hands on an Acey Mac
McIntosh apples are my king and country. I would die for a freshly picked bag of them. Long live the king!
thank you dave! i disagree with you on this one, though! mcintosh is definitely one of the apples you can buy at the store! i know how to buy gasoline and milk!
OP has weak teeth.
When in season the Mcintosh is THE best eating apple. Sweet, crisp, just the right tartness, super juicy, thin skin. Just gorgeous. Spartans are similar but they are crossed with something like a jazz or ambrosia apple, so good enough if you cant find a mcintosh but i find they get bruised and spoil faster.
You just don’t like sour apples, this is discriminatory.
4 out of top 8 apples are sour. Kanzi is number 3 on the list and that’s the most sour of them all
I’m honestly shocked and dismayed to read the review and see the score. You rated the vile McIntosh so much higher than it deserved to be. Truly one of the worst I’ve ever had
Reading this review, I couldn’t help but lose it laughing, because this is absolutely true for me. When I was growing up, my Mother would buy specifically McIntosh apples to make apple crisp or apple pie, and that was all they were used for, until they disappeared from stores. A few years back, the elusive McIntosh reappeared so I decided to buy one and give it a try without the cover of brown sugar, butter, and oats. Most disappointing experience ever. I’m wondering if it didn’t survive the transportation process.
This is like comic nuts ranking superheroes. Can Superman beat Shazaam? Yes, then why can’t Superman beat Black Adam (the black Shazaam)?
I don’t know, but more importantly I don’t really care, because I like Macs. I buy Macs, almost exclusively. I’ve eaten, at best, a dozen of those varieties. Almost all of them fall into the category of “They’re apples but they’re not Macs,” which interestingly enough is the category into which all the varieties I haven’t eaten fall.
The few that don’t fall into that category are Red Delicious — “won’t buy, won’t eat” category, and Granny Smith — “I’ll eat these again the next time I’m in Africa because they’re the best (almost only) apple you can get in Africa” category.
Though I’m curious why you don’t rate Ida Red, Northern Spy, Spartan, and a couple others readily available in my grocery stores. Perhaps because few apple varieties are “global” products in the manner they are treated here.
Since for me, the best apple discussion is settled, I’d rather talk about ranking superheroes, but only if someone insists on talking best apples.
More than enough said.
I laughed so hard at this review even as I take offense to you denigrating one of my favorite apples. There is nothing like a fresh McIntosh. I’ve tried many kinds of apples and I’ve yet to find anything that has the same balance of sweetness and tartness of a Mac. I will admit that their skins are a bit tough though. You know you found a bad/old one when you can’t even grind the skin down with your back teeth.
(Also I’m a PC person and hate that a computer company has coopted the name of a beloved fruit.)
The Macintosh is appledom’s sweet paradox. When they are fresh, there is no apple better, in my opinion. So tart it’ll turn your face inside out. Mere moments after their prime, however, they are truly the worst. I have residual childhood trauma from Macs being literally the only fruit in winter, mushy binned apples that are months old, eaten outside in the snow at recess, their texture not improved by having banged around in a metal lunchbox for hours.
bro you are insane these are delicious
I guess these apples aren’t nearly as ambrosiesque as the more popular varieties, but I think the diminutive size and tart flavour have charm! It certainly has its own unique flavour.
Or maybe i’m a Canadian who’s experiencing their very first bout of cultural indignation?
My Uncle lived by the apple orchards in Rougemont Quebec. McIntosh are the best especially straight from the tree.
Whoever this dude is who wrote this doesn’t know the different between apples and road apples.
This site is worthless lol