Russet
The Russet is the name of a group of apples with distinctive matt brown skin, often spotted or with a faint red flush.
It often has a flattened lopsided shape. The flesh is crisp and the apples keep well from the late autumn when they ripen until the following spring, although they may turn rubbery.
The flavour is unusual and pear-like. Russets are a dual purpose apple and their size varies from tiny to very large.
In Britain, Egremont Russet
and Golden Russet
are the most popular. Egremont Russet is a typical Russet having a rough, porous skin which allows for water to evaporate out of it leaving a denser flesh and a more intense flavor. It has a crisp texture and the taste is sweet taste and most always available in England.
An American variety, Roxbury Russet,
is claimed to have originated in Roxbury, Massachusetts in the early 17th century. If this is true, then this would be the oldest named American variety.