Bittersharp · 110 trees planted · confidence high
Known as a bittersharp, but presents as a sharp in WSU cider cultivar trials, Washington, 2002–2017.
The most celebrated English vintage-quality cider apple, emerged in Somerset in the early 1800s and possibly an open-pollinated seedling of Cap of Liberty. Cidermakers prize it as one of the very few varieties carrying enough tannin and acid together to make a complete single-varietal cider. Important local caveat: WSU-grown fruit measured only 0.15% tannin and classed as Sharp, so in this climate plan to blend it with a true bittersweet for structure.
Disease: Susceptible to apple scab and canker; notoriously erratic, low-yielding cropper that fell out of commercial UK use for this reason. WSU rates productivity only 2.7/5, among the lowest in their trial. Spreading habit, standard bearing.
Discrepancies: Class: LARS/UK sources call it bittersharp, but WSU measured 0.15% tannin and classes it Sharp - recommended SH per WSU as climate-local; treat as a mild bittersharp at best here. Bloom: pomiferous group E (mid-late, ~4) vs WSU bloom 5/12 - recommended 3 per WSU. Acid: WSU 0.61% (medium) vs MSU Montana 0.94% (high) - recommended medium per WSU marine-climate data. Canonical class corrected to bittersharp (2026-09-22): the sharp reading it previously carried came from WSU Washington trial means, which is a regional observation, not what the variety is.