Apple orchards in eastern Ontario experiencing 'weird, wonderful flavours' after drought

The severe drought in eastern Ontario this summer had a sweet effect on apple orchards, according to some growers in the region.

• Ontario apple growers searching for next great apple

Even though the apples are small, and falling off the trees early,they're also much sweeter than normal.

"The taste is fantastic," said Darryl Maloney, owner of Log Cabin Orchard in Osgoode, Ont. south of Ottawa.

"It was very sunny this summer, lots of sunlight the sugar content is up, so the taste is actually really, really good, especially the last few weeks.They're fantastic, like super sweet."

Several watersheds in the Ottawa Valley declared "severe" droughtconditions this summer, and the Kingston, Ont. region experienced its driest summer since the 1880s.

'Weird, wonderful' hard apple cider

But some apple cider producers in thatareaaren't complaining, because the hot, dry weather has created "marvelous" flavours in their apples,according to the owner of County Cider Company in Prince Edward County.

"The sugars in the fruit aresignificantly higherthan they normally are, and the flavours are incredible," said Grant Howes, the owner of the County Cider Company.

The business makes hard cider an alcoholic beverage made from fermented apple juice and most of the trees in its orchard are native to England and the Normandy region of France.

Howes saidthose areas have much cooler climates, and the trees aren't use to the stress of a drought, which could lead to "interesting" new flavours in his apple cider.

"What this drought didis it's bringing out all these weird, wonderful flavours in these apples that we've never seen before."