Author Topic: Jumbo Kesar - mango review  (Read 10293 times)

BrettBorders

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Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« on: July 22, 2016, 08:07:04 AM »
Here is a Jumbo Kesar (bottom right) in my recent haul from from Tropical Acres Farms in West Palm Beach. I've picked up some nice, clean fruit there this season: Maha Chanok, Venus, Sweet Tart, Dot, Spirit of '76, Cac, Dupris Saigon, Bombay, J-12, Juliette, Graham, etc. 



The Jumbo Kesar mango was a complex sensory experience, almost "flavor tripping." It gave me flashbacks to the summer fruit markets of India that I visited 15 years ago:



This small, ~12oz mango ripened up to have unremarkable yellow skin and no distinct smell. Cutting it open revealed a deep orange flesh with lighter yellow, translucent - almost "white grapefruit" colored areas around the pit.  After biting into it, there was a intense jackfruit / JuicyFruit gum-like taste.  I suspect this mango is sweet (high brix) but I do not taste the sweetness shining at forefront like I do in a Maha Chanok or Sweet Tart - here the tropical fruity flavors are very dominant, almost overpowering.  After the tropical fruitiness there was a lingering "funky," fetid element. Then a delicious resinous taste that's clean, kind of like spearmint... and also a subtle fruity sourness that reminded me of candy.

I ate half the Jumbo Kesar mango and it confused me and shook me up emotionally. It tasted nothing like the new Zill-style mangos or the Old Florida classics.  Was it weird? Kinda. Was it delicious?  uhh, yeah. Did I want to eat the other half? Hell yes, right now!!!  ;D

I raked my teeth over the light yellow, translucent flesh around the seed. It was subacid & tasted more like I was eating an orange or pineapple... than a mango. It was really interesting.



Eating in the area closer to the stem I tasted an soapy / sandalwood taste taking over the resin element. It tasted like what Indian incense smells like. Very close to the stem I got an astringent, palette-ruining taste that I call the "taste of death" that is found in some mangos.

For 30 minutes after eating it I was unable to think about anything other than Jumbo Kesars. I was inspired, totally captivated by the exoticness of its flavors.  I would rate the Jumbo Kesar as an unusual but "outstanding" mango. It is not a mango for people with timid palettes, but I consider it to be essential tasting for any true mango lover.




« Last Edit: July 24, 2016, 10:20:57 AM by BrettBorders »

EJO8

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #1 on: July 22, 2016, 08:35:29 AM »
great review! have you cut up the other fruit yet (and will you post a review when you do)?

Eric

bsbullie

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #2 on: July 22, 2016, 08:38:00 AM »
Please, no.....  ;D 8)
- Rob

Jani

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #3 on: July 22, 2016, 10:00:39 AM »
This forum has had some highly entertaining tasting descriptions from the sensual to otherworldly...but this has got to be the greatest    :D :D

......."and it confused me and shook me up emotionally"

Classic!
always longing for a JA Julie

Jani

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #4 on: July 22, 2016, 10:03:09 AM »
On a more serious note..I know buying a tree going by others taste descriptions is risky..but I'm really glad I bought a kesar  (thanks rob) every review paints this mango as an experience without equal..can't wait to taste one from my tree, hopefully next season.
always longing for a JA Julie

simon_grow

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #5 on: July 22, 2016, 12:08:43 PM »
Thanks for the detailed review, we now have our official forum mango sommelier. I'm surprised the Jumbo Kesar was only 12 oz, I've had regular Kesars that size, the late season ones.

The Kesar mango is a flavor trip and there should be one at every mango tasting in order to get the full spectrum of mango flavors. Kesar is one of the varieties I rank right up there with the Zill varieties, perhaps even higher. There is a perfume to this mango that is unlike any other variety I've had. I believe there is great size variance between the regular and Jumbo Kesar.

Simon

akanonui

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #6 on: July 22, 2016, 12:14:20 PM »
My favorite mango so far has been the Kesar mangoes I get from my local Indian grocery store. The taste is just as you described and the texture of the flesh is to die for; not fibrous or stringy, it's like a firm custard and it melts in your mouth.

BrettBorders

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #7 on: July 22, 2016, 12:50:04 PM »
Thanks guys! In terms of the intensity of the flavor, it reminded me of something like the Gary mango. In terms of flavor complexity, the  experience was a bit more like eating a Durian than the typical Florida mango.  I both loved it and hated it through the first bites, and halfway through it eating it the scales tipped and it really grew on me.

Jsvand5

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #8 on: July 22, 2016, 02:39:54 PM »
Is there any difference in fast between the kesar and jumbo kesar? You guys are going to make me add another variety to the collection.

BrettBorders

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #9 on: July 22, 2016, 03:10:27 PM »
For my personal taste this is not necessarily a "must plant" mango,  but it is a "must try" mango. I could imagine someone not liking it at all. has anyone run a public tasting with kesar in it? How'd it go?

Jsvand5

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #10 on: July 22, 2016, 03:23:52 PM »
For my personal taste this is not necessarily a "must plant" mango,  but it is a "must try" mango. I could imagine someone not liking it at all. has anyone run a public tasting with kesar in it? How'd it go?

Ok, maybe I'll go with buying budwood instead of another tree.

merce3

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #11 on: July 22, 2016, 04:03:50 PM »
What type of growth habit to kesar exhibit?

Squam256

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2016, 04:40:45 PM »
What type of growth habit to kesar exhibit?

Spreading, moderately vigorous. Dense canopy.

Cookie Monster

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2016, 09:11:02 PM »
I found that jumbo and regular kesar had similar / same flavors. One is simply bigger than the other.
Jeff  :-)

TnTrobbie

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #14 on: July 22, 2016, 11:08:10 PM »
Picked a 12 7/8 oz (395g) Kesar today. Last year's ones had a distinct berry flavor. How did the Juliette taste? Just like it's flowering habit, Juliette is taking its sweet time to full up and mature.
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Tropicdude

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2016, 04:24:46 AM »
No difference in taste between regular and jumbo Kesar.  harvest is the same also.   I have both in my back yard in containers,  only about two years old.    other than some scale that I was able to wipe off, have not had any fungal problems.   I do not spray anything for that on them.

regarding size,   the jumbos are almost always over 1lb.  and about twice as large as regular.   in the other Kesar thread I have a video, you can see the growth habit of the ones at a plantation.

Here is a picture of a jumbo from this year ( source plantation ) notice the regular kesar on the table.
William
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bsbullie

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #16 on: July 23, 2016, 07:57:23 AM »
No difference in taste between regular and jumbo Kesar.  harvest is the same also.   I have both in my back yard in containers,  only about two years old.    other than some scale that I was able to wipe off, have not had any fungal problems.   I do not spray anything for that on them.

regarding size,   the jumbos are almost always over 1lb.  and about twice as large as regular.   in the other Kesar thread I have a video, you can see the growth habit of the ones at a plantation.

Here is a picture of a jumbo from this year ( source plantation ) notice the regular kesar on the table.


Odd that the shspe of the fruit Brett posted, which supports the fruit I have seen/eaten from 2 different trees at 2 different locations, do not look the the fruit in the pucture above.
- Rob

Tropicdude

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #17 on: July 27, 2016, 04:08:51 AM »
The scions for these were brought directly from India.   the owner of the plantation is Indian.    the little beak, is more pronounced on some more than others. 

The Kesar planted at the experimental station are not from these same scion batch.  they were brought in from Fairchilds, collection ( Kesar being evaluated in DR ) but will be a couple years at least before I can compare the US source from the Indian imports.  looking at Kesar pictures from India, the Indian guys plantation seems like the real deal.    the Kesar plantation added 30,000 more trees this year.  and last I heard they will be exported to specific markets up north, in Canada and maybe a couple cities in the US, NY and/or Chicago. wherever their is large ethnic market for Kesar.
William
" The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.....The second best time, is now ! "

mangomandan

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #18 on: July 27, 2016, 08:39:23 AM »
Great review.

Somehow it reminded me of a Meg Ryan movie scene.

"I'll have what he's having."

FruitFreak

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #19 on: July 27, 2016, 09:28:58 AM »
I want one
- Marley

Sbabarali82

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #20 on: June 21, 2017, 10:30:20 PM »
I am looking to purchase a grafted Kesar tree, anyone with info please reply.
thank you

Tropicdude

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #21 on: June 22, 2017, 02:19:04 AM »
I am looking to purchase a grafted Kesar tree, anyone with info please reply.
thank you

You could try the buy sell section of the forum, there are some nurseries, that some I believe ship.


In other news, my friend with the Kesar farm, had a major loss.  a 40ft container full of Kesar's was shipped to NY market.  and was rejected and sent back, after discovery that the refrigerating unit failed in transit, all mangoes arrived in the US, black.  these were not even allowed to be destroyed in the US.and were sent back. 

As for Kesar fruit, I have had a few, and they were delicious as always,  despite the heavy rains this year, they did not get washed out like some other varieties, or suffer from internal breakdown, like all the Haden I have come across.   the most amazing story is the experimental station, that was planted in 2015,  some trees are over 10 ft tall, and loaded with Mangoes.   I shot some video,  in 2015 and have some new clips I will be editing soon,  I have never seen trees grow so fast in just 2 years.  i'll post this in its own thread later.   anyway I do like the consistency in quality of the Kesar from year to year.  and the fact that a lot of water does not seem to phase them much,  at one part of the experimental station,  a water pipe broke and some Kesar trees are in standing water.   note we use the "Banilejo" as root stock here,  so this might be a factor also.
William
" The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.....The second best time, is now ! "

Sbabarali82

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #22 on: June 23, 2017, 06:42:55 AM »
How can i get a hold of a grated jumbo kesar tree?

skhan

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #23 on: June 23, 2017, 07:02:24 AM »
How can i get a hold of a grated jumbo kesar tree?

There are a few nurseries that ship.
Pine Island, Plant o gram etc.
Do a forum (or google) search and you should see a few results
I think we have a sticky thread about it too.

merce3

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Re: Jumbo Kesar - mango review
« Reply #24 on: June 23, 2017, 03:38:05 PM »
Grafted kesar http://bfy.tw/CXba