"I am very curious to know how you feel Ambrosia stacks up to your older
Golden Delicious strains and also where you would put Razor Russet and
Grimes Golden."
I don't have much to answer this question as I've never eaten Ambrosia,
Razor Russet or Grimes Golden, although I grow Grimes Golden as a nursery
tree- it is clearly not terribly precocious. I'm not even especially a fan
of old strain Yellow Delicious, although I consider it to be a very good
apple- just not one I reach for. Goldrush pretty much fills that slot in
later winter when it mellows into a crunchier and more highly flavored
Yellow Delicious type. But I like it as much when it is tarter earlier in
the season.
My favorite old time apple last season was Esopus Spitzenberg from a site
where it got up to 21 brix. Obviously, I'm inclined to apples that have
some acid to go with its sugar. My palate is jaded.
[nafex] Old strains of Y. Delicious,
Alan Haigh, 04/11/2016