This year's were Elstar, Shamrock, Honeycrisp, and Ashmead's kernel. The one I particularly liked was Elstar, which unfortunately has a short season. Honeycrisp grown in New England is a good apple if you like sweet and crisp (which I do, Gala is one of the varieties I'll buy in the supermarket), but I think overhyped. My notes say Ashmead's kernel was a good apple, but I didn't get around to buying more this fall, and Shamrock was a decent eating apple but I don't think I'd cook with it. I would bake with either Elstar or Ashmead's Kernel.)

That "grown in New England" is because I concluded after a couple of years in Washington state that even apple varieties I like when grown elsewhere had little flavor when grown in Washington. I think the difference is probably because of the climate; I thought it might be the soil, but New Zealand is similarly volcanic and Galas were developed there and taste good when grown in New Zealand or New York, but not Washington. (Washington cherries are excellent, as are the plums, pluots, and apriums.)