Top 3
In order from dark So far lights haven't been fruiting as much this year.

Dark
1) macool (surprised the heck out of me)
2) black ischia
3) Dark porto

Light
1) Deanna (before I got any rain)
2) verdal longue
3) lattirolla

Tell us more about Macool.  I have 1 cutting from Jon I'm growing.  No figs yet.  Eye, internal color, late/early, anything else.  Any photos?

Mid season closed eyre and deep dark red interior

You list Ischia Black. I sought that out very soon after learning there were more good figs than Mission, and that it was recommended as doing well in my location. It's turning out the cuttings I purchased may not be IB. May I ask the original source of your plant? UCDavis? Or?

(I'm getting as bad as Martin... ;))

My top 3 would be

DARK
Kathleen's Black
Bisirri Dark
VDB

LIGHT
Latarolla
Brooklyn White
still waiting on a couple other lights

Get a Macool-You will not be disappointed. Fruits young and in my garden it outshines my Marsellies BVS and Sal's Gene.  Not saying they are not good.  In some climates they may outshine Macool.

To me, Macool is Sal's G crossed with MBVS with the sharpness of Hardy Chicago.

I may get rid of all of those and keep just Macool.  Macool has done very well in wet weather, holding on and not splitting or spoiling.

Only test left is constant rain for more than 2 days. Other than that, tops for me this season.

Gina
I got mine from ucd a few years ago and it was a slow grower with all the fmv but this year it shot up like a champ

Dom I totally agree such a great tasting fig. But I am not sold that its a mt etna fig. It's in a class of its own

Slowly, but surely, figs are getting properly ranked...

You may have misunderstood me... In terms of taste that is what it reminds me of, even though I described quite a few of them.  But the leaf does seem like a close relative.

You have to figure that trades were made along the sea at one point or another and figs crossed over. What direction I don't know.

Best dark fig this year was easily Pastilliere. Negronne was second best. Best light fig was an unkown fig that was similar to Adriatic. Second was Latarolla. Best tasting breba was from my brunswick variant . Overall winner for me would have to be the unkown Adriatic type .   Angelo  Zone 7a NY

Dan thx 4 your list - good info
Barry - thx as well - also good info
And my list just got longer

Best for me this year in NH:
Ronde de Bordeaux  9.9
Black Bethlehem  9
Malta Black   9
Salem Dark   9
O'Rourke    9
Hardy Chicago   9
Gino's Black    8.5
Takoma Violet   8.5
Marseilles Black vs    8
Florea    8
Sals  gs  7.5
Improved Celeste   7

Best for me this year in NC

Dela Senyona   11
Emerald Strawberry    10
Florea   10
Ronde de Bordeaux  9
Toni's Brown Italian 11
Black Celeste  8.5
Celeste JR  8
Black Bethlehem  9
Malta Black   9
Noire de Caromb   7
Encanto 8
Excel  12
Kadota 10
Barnisotte  8
Smith 12
Blue Celeste 8
Byadi   8
King   8
Battalagia Green   10
Verte   9
Brown Turkey  7
Italian Black  6
Cartegna Negra  8
Negronne 9
Petite Negra   9
Violette de Bordeaux  8
Vasilika sika 9
White Greek  8
Big Al   9
LSU Champagne 8
Madeline des Duex Saigons  8
English BrownTurkey 7
Martin's Unknown 7
Weeping   7
Sal's Corleone  7
Mission   8
Black Greek 8
Aubique Petite  9
Negretta 7
Beall  7
Marseilles 8
Galbun  8
Hardy Chicago   9
Gino's Black    8
Takoma Violet   8
Marseilles Black vs    9
Sals  8
Improved Celeste  9 

You know, that list surprised me about what's inferior, like Beall.  Are some of the inferior figs related to conditions or inherent qualities?

We don't here enough about the Toni's Italian Brown, presumably from Durio, and I think you'd provide a service by describing the differences between the Bordeaux figs you have.  I am fascinated by the fact that Hardy Chicago wins top spot (or, suppose, second spot to Macool) for Etna types.  Celeste still doing triple time.  Variety has been around forever, and they're still tops.  Martin's Unknown also strikes me of interest, not nearly enough talk about the fig and growth habit as opposed to Pastilliere.  

Shah8, welcome to the world of figs! As for the inferior figs, we got hot weather, then the rains came in August and now we are slipping into Fall with low 80s and high 50s at night. Beall was very prolific as well as a few others. My trees stlill have figs on but most are souring and splitting. That's ok.

Correct about Toni's Brown Italian. They were super sweet. The figs are the size of Sals Corleone but 10x better! They are round and thin skin when ripe. Toni's Brown Italian is an excellent fig! I called Dalton and gave him praise.....then I ordered several more! A bucket of those figs every day can make you smile.

Dennis,
 I saw Battaglia was on your list (10). How does the taste compare with Green Greek from Durio?

  Thanks,
   Peter

I noticed you gave 11s and a 12. Are those bonus points over a 10, or are you using a different scale besides 1-10?  

As to a fig being a 7 or 8, I don't think that's totally terrible. An 8 sounds quite good in fact, especially if it's growing next to a 3 or 4. ;)

This is a great thread, and my Wish List spread sheet is growing by leaps and bounds!!  Thanks everyone for all your input! 

Suzi

Peter, my Green Greek did fruit but the rains have ruined the fruit. As I type this....it is RAINING NOW!!!!

Hi Gina, the highest score is 10. But some have a better taste than others. So for those with exquisite taste, I gave extra points.
Anything above 6 is good,
7 is great,
8 is awesome,
9 is excellent,
10 is WOW,
11 is speechless,
12 will make you pass out!

But remember guys, my climate, soil, watering and fertilzer will be different than yours. I'm not saying mine area is best, it just meaning I got lucky. ;)

Best so far this year was Black Mission NL. Black Madeira is ripening, so we'll see how it compares.

Hey Ken, I got a few BM NLs but the rain has spoiled mine. Same goes for my Black Maderia. But my Black Maderia is a large tree with plenty of figs on. So I should get to taste some this year. Last year, I was picking Black Maderia figs in October. I need to go out and cover the base of my tree with plastic b/c we are expected to get more rain tomorrow.

I'm expecting a very dry Fall this year b/c we are getting a lot of rain now.

Thanks for the clarification. I would be happy with anything over a 7, though the plan is to try a good number of figs and in the end grow what does well here in our part of SoCal. Heck, in a pinch even a bland Brown Turkey would be better than nothing. I've even eaten a few BTs this year that I moderately enjoyed. Granted, others were much better.

I would imagine that lists and rankings such as these would change each year, even from different branches on the same trees. Weather patterns are inconsistent. And taste buds vary. :)

Such a problem... too many figs to try. :) :)

Color me happy!  My spring order from UC Davis includes Excel, and you rate it a 12.  Wow!  I like your rating system!

I think I'll do a spreadsheet (I think Microsoft Excel is one of the most powerful programs on earth, and I love to use it.) and rate mine by juiciness vs dry, color, size, flavor (description) vs watery.... I'll have to get it perfected in time, and of course include your scale of rating in there too.

Thanks so much!  My wish list is now HUGE.  Nice that a lot of these can be ordered from UC Davis!!

Suzi

My wish list is for a new house with a huge yard to house my figs, ugh there are sooo many good ones!!

Barry,

As a fellow Pennsylvanian, which have been your in-ground favorites?  So far my most productive have been Hardy Chicago and Dark Portuguese but that's only after 1 year in ground.

Tim