2012 I tried to nibble on some freeze damaged brebas that couldn't ripen. That was a zero.

Dennis,
you are one of the few people that likes California B.T.MANY People don`t like this
fig ,but for me this is a very good fig .I have a large collection of figs ,not sure what my
favorite fig is,but any well ripe fig is good for me,the growing season is very short in upstate
ny.Ciao,
Giuseppe

bump on an old thread...

Fig Taste Ratings and Flavor Chart
link here: http://cajunfigs.blogspot.com/2012/05/fig-taste-ratings-and-flavor-chart.html

Malcolm,

Thanks for the list.
After my short fig experience, I would add 2 or 3 more columns.

Container or in the ground.
Location (state/zone)
Pollinated or not.

Those three things have a dramatic effect on the taste.

I love this list, potentially it could be really a really handy reference when it comes time to trade cuttings. I do wish it had a little more info per variety, but otherwise it's great.

Oh cool! I will know what flavors to look for. Thanks for bumping!

The list is nice but we need updates all the time including growing conditions/environment/location/age of plant/ etc... I believe most of the testing was done in Hawaii and I believe between 07/08. This is a good project for someone to chart recent data from multiple members(not only one person) including all conditions previously mentioned. I feel Love's list is a good start with more data to be added. Just my opinion.

I would agree, creating some sort of Flavor Database would be great, but taste and, moreover, taste is greatly affected by fig type, tree age, planting environment, soil/fertilizer combinations, zone location and yearly weather.

For this reason, as pointed out, this list is lacking in detail to provide good recommendations to "Joe the Fig Grower" in location "x."

If one were REALLY interested in obtaining good fig flavor data there is one group of testers that I can think of that would be extremely experienced and passionate in such a task .... US!

I suggest during the several annual "get togethers" across the country, it would be an ideal opportunity to capture good fig flavor profiles by using a standard Fig Flavor Survey.

We could all work on creating an effective survey template that everyone could use during these "get togethers."  That way, we are all using the same survey parameters as well as collecting appropriate data.  Over the course of time, I'm certain a somewhat accurate flavor database could be created and be tremendously helpful to F4F members and fig growers in general.

I'd be willing to create a draft survey template and house the database if there is a general interest in this.  I'd especially like to get feedback on this idea from individuals that attend fig gatherings or host them.

Even more data could be created by creating an "Elite Fig Tasting Tester Group" which members mail figs to for taste testing.  That way, we could have a defined group of experienced tasters surveying identical figs from all around the country.  This one might be a little bit more "Pie in the Sky" but, if people were willing....

Ken's evaluation of taste was done at Wolfskill (west of Davis).

Igor, Ken is describing flavors, not causes of flavor.  That doesn't belong in such a chart, IMO.  There are many other factors that affect flavor such as nutrition, climate, etc.  All of the trees at Wolfskill have pretty much the same influencing factors so the tastes can be readily compared relative to one another.

And they have the wasp, so what they taste like there will be completely unrelated to what they'd be like outside of California/Mexico.  Some figs that are great with the wasp may be mediocre without and some will be almost as great.

Exactly, this why we need to know what they are like in other areas besides California. the other factors would be nice to know. Thanks Bob.

I'm glad to see this thread is still alive!!! What Harvey said is true. Jon and I were there the exact same week and day Ken was there. There are so many factors that could change a fig's taste; taste buds, too much rain, too much sun, climate, wasp, etc.   If you are a smoker, a ripe fig might taste completely different than a non-smoker's taste.  The UC-Davis orchard manager, Howard, told me 2 years ago when I was there that Excel was his favorite tasting fig and that Adriatic tasted like coconut.  He is a smoker.  I am not.  I walked over to the tree, grabbed a few figs and to me they taste like a cross btw a raspberry and a strawberry.  So, taste can mean different things depending on a person's taste buds.  And in my climate, Adriatic is not as rich as it is in Ca.

This week, from my orchard, I've been picking Texas Everbearing, Piedmonte, Marva Silka, Florea, Kadota, Smith, and Brown Turkey figs.  Folks in the office said TEB taste like peaches.  But they don't to me!  I waited and picked them until they were completely ripe. 

Piedmonte taste similar to Black Maderia to me!  I have my own database of figs that I grow and how they taste to me -- when picked.  So far, this year, the best tasting figs in my climate are:
1.  Piedmonte  12
2.  Texas Everbearing   11
3.  Florea   10
4.  Kadota   10
5.  Smith
6.  Marva Silika  6

This is going to be a weird year for my figs.  The artic cold of last year has delayed many of them.  Those that are putting out ripe figs now were winterized indoors.  However, we are having a repeat of some rains like last year.  My tree are full of figs and I hope they delay ripening until the rain is over.  My largest Lyndhurst white and LSU Gold are loaded and the figs are starting to lighten.  Today, and yesterday we've had flash floods.  And it's suppose to rain all this week till Wednesday!  This is not good for figs.  Oh well, I just hope we have a very hot Fall.

Well I still thank everyone who post photos of figs and describes how they taste, conditions of growing, know we may not have the same taste for them. And, it is amazing how everyone asks "how did they taste?", even though we may know they may not taste exactly the same to us. It sounds like you may be agreeing especially when we post scores on taste, this is like a table or chart. Anyways I'm done, although I do believe that everyone, at some time has asked how do they taste?