Jazz apple
Jazz is a very modern apple variety, developed in New Zealand in the 1980s. It is a cross between two other major apple varieties - Braeburn and Gala. Not surprisingly it has a lot of "shelf appeal", being a medium size, and a very attractive appearance. It is marketed as a "bi-coloured" apple, because the strong red/marroon colour is broken up by areas of green / yellow / orange. It tends to attract a premium price.
Jazz has a really excellent flavour, particularly if you like sweeter apples. The butter-yellow flesh is juicy, crisp and dense. There is a pronounced pear-drop sweetness, and very little acidity - a characteristic that can lead to blandness in Gala, but Jazz always has a good flavour.
(We have been advised by Steve T of New Zealand that the red colour is key to the unique Jazz flavour - poorly-coloured apples will taste like Braeburns).
Jazz is grown in New Zealand, France, and Washington state in the USA, with most commercial plantings only starting in 2000. Like a number of modern varieties it is trade-marked, and was developed in conjunction with a marketing agency - Enzafruit - which controls planting and marketing internationally. "Jazz" is actually a trademarked brand name, the variety name is Scifresh.
It tends to become available towards the end of the season - so in northern Europe it comes into shops in November/December. Because it is so new supplies tend to be limited, but this is supposedly a very long-keeping variety and therefore likely to be popular with producers. Jazz matures very late and has very dense hard flesh which benefits from softening slightly in storage. It will be interesting to see if the juicy flavour is retained in storage.
200,000 Jazz trees were planted in the UK in 2006 and should come into production in a few years. The trademark restrictions mean you are unlikely to find this tree available from fruit tree nurseries.
In summary, Jazz shows lots of promise as a future supermarket apple variety and hopefully will become widely available. The appearance and keeping qualities are very good, and it has by far the best flavour of all the mainstream supermarket apple varieties - indeed it is the only supermarket apple variety which makes it into our Top 10 Apple Varieties, where it comes in at a very respectable 5th place.
2008 update. Jazz has a new sibling - Kanzi! Read our review of Kanzi apple, including comparative photo.
Visitor's comments:
"Jazz is simply the best apple bar none. I am a produce buyer, director, and supervisor. I rank Jazz at the top of my list.", Philip, California.
"I agree. This apple - jazz - is crisp, tangy and delicious. We bought a few at our Kroger's in Huntsville and haven't seen them since. I think it was in the spring of 2006. I've been looking in every market since. No luck. I equate it to winesaps we ate in New Jersey. May taste even better! Where are they???" John, New Jersey
"Never been much of an apple fan. Today at the market, I noticed they had about a dozen varieties. I decided I would try one I had never heard of. Since I never buy apples, I went for the most expensive. They call it a Jazz apple and it was advertised at $2.09 a pound. Yeah, that's what I was thinking. These better be good. Picked out a couple and it was $3.44 for the both! Sliced one up after dinner. I have to tell ya, that was the best apple I ever had. A very dense texture was full of crunch. It practically yelled "crisp" with every bite. It was juicy, sweet and full of flavor.", Jeff, USA
"I bought them for the first time at my local Waitrose in Northwood, Middx. last week. They are a superb apple, probably the best I have eaten. They surpass my previous favourite, Braeburn, in terms of taste (cleaner) and longevity; Braeburn start to soften up in left our for a couple of days. Peter, UK
"When I think of apples, I think of childhood, orchards and tradition Jonathan apples are what an apple should taste like and also a standard by which all other apples should be judged. For me, nothing beat a Jonathan..... until Jazz. Long shelf and pocket life, outstanding flavor, crisp, juicy, aromatic, great name. I've been an apple lover for a long time. I would always try a new apple and say, "I'm not impressed." .... until Jazz. Also the flavor of Jazz beats tradition; something I thought I would never say." Diane, Michigan USA
"I "accidentally" bought some Jazz apples a couple of weeks ago, just because they were in paper tote bags at a reduced price, and still looked pretty fresh. I thought they looked a bit like Galas, which I'm not crazy about, but they were cheap, so....I didn't recognise the flavor, so I looked for a sticker, but then I thought "Jazz" must be a brand and not the variety. I asked at a supermarket, where only one person working in the produce department knew about them, and he said they were long gone, and mine must be OLD. When I found out they were new and patented, I wanted to hate them. After all, I live in the very spot where the wonderful Gravensteins are being pushed out of existence, and I come origially from the midwest (US), where "Jonathan" always defined the word "apple" to me. In my heart, I want to support heirloom varieties. But I just couldn't deny that the Jazz apples were great -- sweet, crisp, with almost a banana undertone. And they're still that way, even though they've been stored at room temperature and the last few are finally looking a tiny bit withered. I wish I'd bought all the bags." Susan, USA
Species: Malus domestica
Comments
10 Jul 08 02:58 Teresa M. Haycraft from Frederick, Maryland
I have tried the Jazz Apple and I have feel in love with the taste. Now, if only the price could come down. At the Weis food store they cost $2.49 per pound. That is a bit expensive.
07 Jul 08 21:53 Laurie from Southern California
Jazz apples are the very best apple I've every had! Really gave up on eating apples over the last few years; they had become boring and unappealing. I like Galas pretty well, but a produce guy suggested I try the Jazz apples, and I wish I knew his name because I'd send him a gift! Jazz apples are the best! I only bought two to try, so after barely sharing them with my family, I went back to the store for more (I really did!). The Jazz apple is crisp and flavorful--everything you want an apple to be.
02 Jul 08 02:50 Dawn Marie from Chicago IL
WHAT A WONDERFUL APPLE!! I WAS COMPLETELY DISGUSTED WITH THE CURRENT CROP/VARIETIES AT ALL OF THE STORES I FREQUENT. NOTICED THE JAZZ APPLE & THOUGHT IT HAD A GREAT APPEARANCE. SINCE I HAD NOT HEARD OF IT, I DECIDED TO TAKE A CHANCE.....& I'M CERTAINLY GLAD I DID! IT IS CRISP, SWEET, & SLIGHTLY TART....A GENUINE FLAVOUR TREAT! KUDOS TO THE GENIUS WHO THOUGHT OF COMBINING THE BRAEBURN & GALA------BRILLIANT!!
12 Jun 08 10:10 Pranata from Roseville, CA
Best tasting apple I've had so far. A bit pricey though, about $2.99 per lb. Hopefully the price will go down, but definitely will buy again soon.
09 Jun 08 23:34 B Pascoe from Ashford, UK
Please could you tell me where I can purchase one of these trees.THE FRUIT IS GORGEOUS!
15 May 08 09:25 Andreas from Duesseldorf, Germany
I was very suprised to find this apple in a discounter in Germany. Of course, after having heard of it from this website, I immediately decided to try it out. And I wasn't disappointed! My until-then favourite supermarket apple, Braeburn, has gotten a serious contender. Hopefully it will stay available for some time because I enjoy this apple a lot!
16 Apr 08 20:34 Maryann Scott from Denair, Ca (Central Valley)
We love the Jazz apple. To date our favorites have been Pink Lady for fresh eating and the Granny Smith for cooking. But, I am going to try using Jazz apples for cooking too. I am amazed that it is a product from the Gala and Braeburn apples. These are two apples that I never buy because they are mushy in texture compared to the Pink Lady. I want to know where I can purchase a tree for our home orchard and need to know if Jazz will do as well in the home fruit orchard in our hot central valley as does the Pink Lady. Please keep the Jazz apples coming!
14 Apr 08 14:45 tom from London, UK
I saw jazz apples in my local marks and spencer and bought some on a whim - I am not usually so hasty to try new varieties being very much an old school granny smiths man. Was I disappointed? Was I heck! Wow, what a taste sensation Jazz apples are! The crispest, tastiest apples ever - truly jazztastic! They even inspired me to look them up on the internet! Never again will I turn to peaches or plums for a sweet fruity treat, its Jazz apples all the way from now on for me!
13 Apr 08 16:08 Kevin Hauser from Southern California
After reading the rave reviews of Jazz I had to try some. The ones I got to pick from seemed to have a lot of green color on the skin, and the taste was quite unremarkable. My guess is that as in most of the apples destined for the supermarket, the growers picked them too green to extend the shelf life, dooming the flavor. At least it was crisp and sweet, but nothing special. Pink Lady still is the best apple we can buy in the store here. If I hadn't been able to grow my own apples, I would never think there was any better flavor than the store ones.
11 Apr 08 14:48 David from Arkansas, USA
Like so many, I noticed the new variety and gave it a try. My experiences are similar to the other comments but I have to point out one characteristic that I believe is somewhat unique. I cut up an apple for my daughter. She did not finish the apple and left a few slices on the plate. I came back in the kitchen a few hours later and noticed NO browning. Curious I put them in the fridge to see what would happen. The next day... no browning. Either we have an apple with incredible amounts of anti-oxidants or we have some freak of nature on our hands. Any thoughts?
13 Mar 08 00:26 Cindy Raines from Kokomo IN, USA
Saw these at our local Meijer store for $.99 lb. Never heard of them before so I bought one. Wish I had bought more of them and less of the Gala. One of the best tasting apples especially this late in the season.
12 Mar 08 05:35 David Crane from Logan, UT, USA
Jazz apples showed up for the first time in our town about a week ago which would be app. March 3, 2008. They arrived at the Smith's supermarkets and at Wal Mart at the same time. I was very eager to try one. I was extremely disappointed as was the produce manager I spoke to at one of the stores. Perhaps they had spent too much time in storage because the apples were a little soft and mealy and had very little flavor. I would compare the ones we have here to a Red Delicious that has spent too long on the shelves. I will be eager to try one if they become available in the Fall.
08 Jan 08 17:16 Sam Smith from UK
I was brought up on an apple farm. Used to picking apples straight from the tree. So I'm usually disappointed after buying apples, since they are often soft wilted apples which are so called fresh. But the JAZZ apple blows my mind. I have been eating them for months, and still sit here and wonder how the can be so crisp when ship from NZ to UK. I hear we are growing them in the UK now, so hopefully will not have to feel guilty about the environment every time I eat one!
08 Jan 08 03:39 Eve Kaufman from Clifton Park, New York, USA
I live in the heart of New York apple country, where "pick your own" farms are abundant. I happened to try jazz apples a few weeks ago in the supermarket, and brought a few, only because I had never heard of them. They are the best apple I have ever eaten, and the most expensive - have gone back to that market 3 times! Now their small supply is gone, but I hope they bring them back. I am so happy that i found this website.
05 Jan 08 23:52 Janice from San Jose, USA
Just before Christmas, I set out to buy apples to complement our Christmas brunch table. I accidentally happened upon a beauty labeled Jazz. Took some home, and they never made it to the breakfast table. These firm, crisp sweet and juicy jewels are a real treasure. Since then I've been on a quest over a period of weeks to find more of them. It appears that they are so new to the area that they are going to be a rare find for awhile. I was fortunate to locate more this afternoon and was compelled to learn more about Jazz apples though these seem a bit more tart than my first taste experience. Pricey, of course but as the adage goes...'you get what you pay for"!
12 Dec 07 22:11 robert bydak from Manitoba, Canada
A little pricy, but worth every cent...best tasting, firm, full-flavoured apple i have eaten in 65 years!!!!
07 Dec 07 16:04 Cy Berg from Whitehall, Michigan, USA
Went looking for a Michigan grown apple at the store yesterday, and again was dissapointed that the bulk apples were all from Wasshington, but wanted just one so I tried the Jazz for the first time> WOW ! this is one tasty apple, I carry at least 2 apples in my coat pocket everyday, and this variety has rocketed to the top of my list for taste and crispness. Definitely worth the premium price (something I can't truly say about the Honeycrisp, a great apple but not that much better), I just wish it was grown locally.
05 Dec 07 14:36 B. J. Capitell from Birmingham, Alabama USA
My wife usually buys our apples because I like to eat one or two for breakfast on the way to work. This morning there was only one Gala apple and it looked old, so I stopped at the supermarket to buy some. I bought a couple that looked good without looking at the price. I paid $3 for two apples, so I got curious about Jazz apples and found this site. I agree with all the other comments. Those were by far the best tasting apples I've ever had, sweet with a bit of tartness, dense without any mushiness, and just juicy enough. I've already told one of my co-workers. I just wish they weren't so expensive.
12 Nov 07 11:18 Marina from Los Angeles, CA
Over the summer, I baked a few pies with my old standby, Granny Smith, and I was dissapointed in how they performed when I deviated from a standard recipe, so I went apple shopping and purchased possibly ten different varieties. In my adult life, I hadn't had more than a few varieties, Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith and I had heard of a few others growing up. Once while cooking, my daughter kept swiping the Honeycrisp slices that were for a pie and I didn't think anything could top the flavor of that apple, but I was wrong. The flavor of the Jazz is intense and powerful. The dense flesh works well for cooking, the cooked apples don't fall apart and they maintain their flavor. These are my hands down favorite for eating fresh and probably my second favorite for cooking.
04 Nov 07 23:04 cindy from grants pass, oregon, USA
I have to say, that I was glad that I didn't know that the Jazz apple was a cross of Braeburn and Gala, since those are two apples I will not eat, they tend to be mushy, pithy and flavorless. So I have stuck with the honeycrisp and occasionally when foisted on me, a Fuji. I used to like the jonathon and granny smith however they taste bland. But I tried the Jazz and was awed. They are a bit sweeter than the honeycrisp but certainly the Jazz owns the magic.
24 Sep 07 02:09 Paul from Overland Park, KS, USA
What's going on with apples nowadays? When I was a child apples were very boring. However, several years ago I noticed a new strain called HoneyCrisp in the grocery from New York and they were delicious. They remain my favorite apple, but this year I noticed another new apple from New Zealand called Jazz. Just like honeycrisp, it is extremely crispy, juicy but sweeter than honeycrisp. Both are wonderful. Not sure what it is about Washington State apples though...the honeycrisp from Washington aren't nearly as good as those from New York (my grocer now stocks washington state honeycrisp apples so I have to buy them from New York on the internet). The Jazz apples I've tried are from New Zealand. I wonder if the washington Jazz apples will be as good as the NZ ones.
18 Sep 07 15:18 Barbara from Oklahoma
I have always been a Granny Smith apple eater until I met JAZZ. I work on an Air Force Base and they've been carrying them in the commissary. This is the best apple I've ever eaten and I'm waiting for the next shipment to arrive so I can fill my refrigerator again with the best apple on the planet! My daughter makes great pies, so I think when I buy the next batch, I'll freeze some for a later pie during the holidays. My hat's off to the individual who came up with this new variety of apple.
17 Sep 07 20:23 Stacie Porter from Chantilly, VA
I was lucky enough to try Jazz apples some time back and also fortunate enough to find them on a few additional shopping trips. That said, now I can't find them anywhere and no other apple compares....can't wait until they are available again!
11 Sep 07 22:52 Lynn Pratt from Buckley Washington
I love apples and I know eating fruit is good foir my health. But I get so frustrated going to the store and buying yucky and mushy apples. I bought a bag of Jazz apples at our local QFC and wow. It was crisp and a bit tart but very sweet. My family is back to eating their apple a day.
Your comments
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