Among the seasoned growers and tasters of figs, most know there are categories of fig flavors. The flavors are so varied that I believe any discussion of "best tasting fig" should be qualified with "best tasting fig in flavor category xxx".

Here's some category names I use. Some of you probably have better ideas:
Classic Dark Fig. examples: Mission, Violette de Bordeaux
Honey Fig. examples: Deanna, Janice-Kadota
Strawberry Fig. example: Panache
Sub-acid Fruit Flavor Fig. example: LSU Purple
and so on.

If anyone is interested in developing a categorization of fig flavors, please contribute here.
Thanks!

Hello Richard-

A quick forum search for : "Fig Flavor" will bring you to many prior-postings regarding this very subject.  Happy reading....it's all interesting.

Frank

Hi,

There was a post written a few years ago regarding flavor groups by ascpete.   It is generally accepted by most of the fig community.  You can search for more info but below is a list of the basic idea.

Sugar fig- celeste, BT, Brunswick  (sugar sweet range from just sweet to rich and complex)
Honey fig- italian honey, Brooklyn white, Kadota, Hollier, Champagne (light figs with honey flavor range from none existent to light)
Bordeaux berry fig- VdB, RdB, Kathleen black, Mission, Vista (dark figs with sweet rich berry flavor described as "jammy"  can be raspberry like flavor)
Dark berry fig- HC, Gino black, TV, Sals, dark Portuguese, Maltese falcon (sweet dark figs with rich berry flavor usually complex flavor)
Adriatic berry fig- Conadria, Adriatic JH, Stella, Vasilika Sika, Battaglia green (light figs usually green or yellow with berry flavored interior can range from sweet, honey, etc)
Miscellaneous fig-  Black Madeira, Preto, etc (including others that generally have a flavor of their own- peachy, melon, syrup, etc)

I apologize if I am missing something or erroneous on description, I am going solely on memory and experience.

For a simpler way for newbies it should go by color
black
green
yellow/gold
purple
red
varigated

Yeah. I hear you, Richie.  Unfortunately, some light skinned figs (yellows and greens) can be very different flavored: such as sugar (caramel), honey (super sweet and light), or adriatic (berry).  So the interior governs the taste rather than the exterior (skin) if that makes sense.

I believe Pete posted the original flavor grouping thread.

I would add Marylane Seedless to the Honey group.  That fig drips honey!  Delicious!

I would add Bourjasotte Gris and Verte to the Adriatic group.  Also plain old Adriatic along with JH.

Suzi

Suzi my wife likes figs but not the seeds is this a really sweet fig? Been looking at the different seedless but know nothing about there flavor. I have Trees but all have seeds.

Richard, it does have a little crunch, so it's not completely seedless.  It's one of my favorites.  It's very sweet and juicy.
 
 
My husband was sure he doesn't like figs, but he now does.  He got that "I've died and gone to heaven" look when he tasted this one!
Suzi

     I would like to thank everyone here who took the trouble to analyze and share specifically what they were tasting. These divisions of flavor are really helpful for people like myself shopping for which figs to grow. In the past, I tend to "eat" with my eyes and think: pretty picture, good/not good or sweet/not sweet and wind up with several trees that all taste the same, missing out on some really unique and exquisite flavors. For example, someone described Pastilliere as tasting like fruit jam having a slight mulberry taste. I love mulberries, so that was one of my “must have” fig trees.  

     Dividing the sweet “Honey Fig” flavor into a honey flavor and a sugar/brown sugar/molasses/ even light maple flavor seems more precise and helpful. Was the flavor watery or intense? Saying if it has a strong fig flavor or a mild fig flavor is also helpful for us “selling” these to family and friends who don’t like figs.

All the fruit flavors aren’t just strawberry. Dividing it into Adriatic Berry and Bordeaux Berry “rich with slightly complex additional flavors” and even “Exotic Berry’, whatever that means, is even more helpful. Also describing whether it’s more acid or sub-acid is helpful.

Thanks again to everyone here for all this detail about the taste in figs. I started out wanting just one or two fig trees, realized that it would be fun to have one or more of each flavor, and wind up with many more than I intended. 

Maybe just three: Brown Turkey, Black Madeira and Other?

Yea I don't want to have fig trees that taste alike...... I am limited for the moment...LOL   

A wine lover, I've always asked for members here to describe the flavor profile, like a wine connoisuer would... Deep, Rich berry flavor with a slight nutty crunch and notes of perfume and citrus and an aftertaste of pure sweet honey.......  This is a dream.  It will never happen.

Most members just say, it's really good!  LOL!  I'm guilty too, but sometimes you just don't pause to reflect.  You just down it with pleasure!

It would be nice if we all pause to reflect, and maybe easier if we had more than just one to taste.........

Suzi

From what I have seen the flavor profile varies depending on climate grown, age of the tree and of course taste buds of the person tasting.  was it picked a day or 2 early? was it raining, wet, sunny, humid?
An orange tastes like and orange, I wish the same could be said for all the different figs.

figherder hits the nail on the head. Throw in caprification, temperature, soil, fertilizer, and anything else that you can throw.

I have a fig that tastes like a strong cantelope with honey and its sweetness burns sometimes. It has an aftertaste of nuts and a juicy sugar syrup. Something like that. Not all from the same tree taste this good. This season only 7 or 6 tasted this good. Tree is 2 years old and improved so much.