Blossom - Worcester Pearmain

I moved this tree rather late in the season, and despite the month-long April drought, it seems to be doing quite well. This photo shows quite clearly that this variety is a tip-bearer

Evaluation: Tydeman's Early Worcester

This is a bit harsh, but I think this is the worst apple variety I grow (after the one I suspect to be Sturmer pippin). I've given it quite a few years of grace now, but each crop has been disappointing.

Let's start off with flavour. The skins, though attractive and reasonably thin, are bitter. The flavour on first bite is not too bad, but soon the bitter, slightly tannic quality emerges. Even when peeled, the bitterness is still detectable and slightly astringent. The flesh has a soft, slight strawberry taste if well-ripened, but without sufficient sweetness or acidity to counter the bitter skin quality. Very occasionally a single fruit will ripen well (probably the king fruits), but the ones that don't can taste vile. 

Taking a bite from a tree-ripened Worcester Pearmain just after eating a Tydeman's Worcester, the fruit is much sweeter in comparison, with pleasantly fruity level of acid and a pleasantly fragrant pear-drops flavour; rather more aromatic than expected. The flesh is quite crisp, and I think probably keeps rather better than Tydeman's (though I never finish the latter in all honesty; most end up as chicken food).

TEW is also very susceptible to wasp damage, and the earliest, best-ripened fruits will probably be wasted. The tree habit isn't great either (mine is a small half-standard on M26), quite whippy and inclined to bend/break under the weight. Cropping is good, but then what is the point if the fruit isn't very nice? If you like early, fruity, soft-fleshed red apples, Devonshire Quarrenden has a better flavour.

Crop: Worcester Pearmain

I hesitate to call this a crop - one single apple! The rest of the crop was raided by squirrels earlier on.

However, it was one very good fruit. Very sweet with pleasantly fruity level of acid. Slightly and a fragrant pear-drops flavour, with an aromatic quality reminiscent of cox, but without the richness. The flesh is quite crisp is comparison, and I think probably keeps reasonably well. This fruit ripened very well on the tree in almost full shade, which is why the squirrels missed it. It's a shame commercial Worcesters are picked underipe, I hadn't appreciated how glorious this variety can be at it's best until today. It seems Bunyard agrees with me:

WORCESTER PEARMAIN. Her. Pom., P. 2.  Dessert, September to October, medium, 2j by 2j,  round conical, regular. Colour, bright crimson on  golden-yellow ground. Flesh, crisp, greenish, very  sweet, with a pleasant strawberry flavour. Eye,  closed, in a shallow ribbed basin. Stem, short, in a  rather narrow russeted cavity. Growth, moderate ;  very regularly fertile. Leaf, rather pale, oval, upfolded,  undulating, coarsely serrate. Originated at Swan Pool,  near Worcester, by a Mr. Hale, Introduced by Messrs.  Smith, of Worcester, in 1874. An esteemed market  variety, seldom failing to crop. The flavour of this  fruit is greatly underrated by many, as it is usually  gathered and eaten far before it is ripe. Makes a neat,  round-headed standard.