“What is the best pecan you have?” We hear this question daily at Bass Pecan Company’s retail store. The answer… “It depends.” The best pecan for you depends on how you plan to crack and shell the pecan, as well as how you plan to use it. Most people find it surprising that the taste of pecans varies widely by variety.

There are over 1,000 named varieties of pecans today. At our orchard, we grow about 15 of the most popular newer varieties, including many low-input varieties. During the fall, our crop’s best varieties will be sold to our customers online at www.basspecan.com or in our retail store located at our farm in Mississippi. Even within a particular variety, you can have slight variations of taste due to the weather and the terroir (the taste effects of the location where it is grown). Not only can you taste the difference in a pecan grown in certain areas of the U.S., you can also taste the variation sunlight and rain play on a particular year’s crop. Your favorite tasting pecan may not be my favorite tasting pecan. (By the way, my top 3 for each year will vary based on the pecan crop’s weather conditions.)

Are you planning to shell your pecans by hand? If so, I would recommend Forkert, Gift Pack or Syrup Mill for your eating pleasure. You believe the largest pecan is the best pecan? Then I would suggest Jackson, Cherryle, Excel or Ellis to eat. You want a richer flavored pecan? This is typically due to a very high oil content – Elliott, Lipan or a seedling (native) pecan may be best for you.

Are you cooking and plan to chop your pecans? Then go ahead and purchase our Pecan Pieces where we have already handled the laborious step of chopping just for you. You say you don’t want to crack and shell your own pecans, but you want them freshly cracked? Try one of our Almost Shelled varieties where we crack, shell and blow, removing approximately 90% of the shell and trash. You perform the final step in inspecting the pecans for packing material and shell. Finally, you want the best bang for the buck? At our farm, it is typically Creek or Lakota.

Ask anyone in our store, what is the best pecan? You will get as many answers as the number of varieties harvested and sold that day. It may take you years of purchasing pecans from us to find just the perfect one for you. In the end, I believe that you can’t go wrong with any of them!