I’ve been growing Novamac for about 20 years now. Purchased at a local nursery and the tag is long gone, so I’m not sure what rootstock it’s on, but I suspect M9 given tree size.
I have an ongoing project where I’m trying as many seedling trees as I can find (as there are hundreds here in each town, extremely common) and I’ve had just about every cultivated variety I can get my hands on, and Novamac is hands down my favourite apple.
VERY scab resistant. The biggest disease pressure here is apple scab by far and I have NEVER seen it on Novamac, and my tree is planted about 15 feet from a very scabby Cortland. Also a very prolific and non-biennial cultivar in my experience. My single tree produces about 800 apples annually of a moderate size, even when I thin 1/3 buds/fruits.
The apple is fantastic for fresh eating. Very sharp, sweet flavour with a good hint of tartiness, and a wonderful (and in my experience totally unique) white wine flavour on the back end of each bite. Within 2-3 months of picking the apples retain a good crunch and, and they are very juicy (eating them can be a bit messy in fact haha). They have a deep red skin with sun exposure and a bright white flesh with a slight red hint near the peel.
I am not much of one for apple pies, but my father swears by them for pies/tarts, etc. I have not yet tried them as a cider apple, but a friend of mine owns a cidery and is eager to try them for cider (we’re doing that with part of next year’s crop. I will say, the apples start to get a little soft by Jan-Feb if stored in the fridge, but mine usually don’t last that long haha.
Overall, I would recommend Novamac to anyone. I really wish they were more popular trees, as they are probably the best apple to have come out of Kentville (and I’ve tried the three named ones, Novamac, Novaspy, and Nova Easygro, as well as a half a dozen unnamed ones that a friend of mine who has a relative who use to work there has in his garden).
I hope that helps. Going to go to the fridge and get a Novamac now, down to the last bag for the season unfortunately.